For the Dallas Cowboys, this one feels simple.
If “America’s Team” is serious about maximizing its offensive window, then extending George Pickens into the next decade should sit at the very top of the offseason checklist.
The challenge, as always in Frisco, is financial reality.
Dallas already has roughly $150 million in salary cap space committed to three foundational pieces. Dak Prescott carries a $74 million figure. CeeDee Lamb and Tyler Smith each hover around $38 million. That is the cost of retaining elite talent. It is also the squeeze that forces hard decisions.
Not everyone can be paid like a franchise pillar, even when you stack 30 receptions in November or finish with a team high 1,429 receiving yards.
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Still, the internal belief appears strong.
Legendary Cowboys voice Brad Sham told The Sporting News, “Every indication is that they see Pickens as essential to what they’re building on offense. Everything has been about the importance of having him and Lamb together. The more pressing question is whether they can work out something longer term and avoid any contract drama.”
Essential is not casual language.
When Lamb and Pickens shared the field for 14 regular season games, the pairing quickly earned a nickname inside the building. “Mario and Luigi.” Lamb working from the slot, dissecting coverage underneath. Pickens stretching the boundary, commanding safety help and winning outside. The combination fed off itself. Pickens’ first career Pro Bowl nod followed.
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And the road ahead offers little margin for regression.
Dallas will travel to face the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, who allowed just 17.2 points per game. They will see the Houston Texans, the league’s top defense in total yards allowed at 277 per contest, including only 172 through the air. Add in a physical matchup at Lambeau against the Green Bay Packers, where Micah Parsons is expected back in the fold, and the need for explosive playmakers becomes obvious.
The cap math is tight. The schedule is tighter.
If Dallas truly views Pickens as essential, then acting sooner rather than later is less about reward and more about stability. Locking in the “Mario and Luigi” partnership now may be the cleanest way to protect both the offense and the locker room from distractions that tend to linger when contracts go unresolved.
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