George Pickens
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
The Dallas Cowboys and wide receiver George Pickens enter the 2026 NFL offseason needing to figure out what the future holds.
Pickens, who is coming off of a career-best season in 2025, is set to hit free agency. Jerry Jones and the Cowboys’ front office will need to decide if they want to re-sign him to a long-term contract, place the franchise tag on him, or let him walk away.
At the end of the day, it’s clear that Dallas isn’t going to let him leave town. Pickens played like a true No. 1 caliber wide receiver last season. Jones will find a way to keep him around.
With that being said, Stephen Jones has spoken out and revealed that the Cowboys are planning to place the franchise tag on Pickens. That move would come with a $28 million price tag for the 2026 season.
Keeping that in mind, Dallas has received some concerning news about what could come from placing the franchise tag on Pickens rather than locking him up long-term.
Dallas Cowboys Receive Concerning George Pickens Update
According to a report from the Dallas Morning News, if the Cowboys do place the franchise tag on Pickens, there is a good chance he’ll choose to sit out of the team’s offseason program. That doesn’t seem to scare the team.
“In the event that Pickens receives the franchise tag this offseason, there’s a strong chance he won’t report for the Cowboys’ offseason program, the Dallas Morning News reported Sunday,” Fox Sports shared.
“However, Cowboys co-owner, executive vice president and CEO Stephen Jones iterated to the Dallas Morning News that Pickens must report to the team this offseason, even if he receives the franchise tag.”
No one could blame Pickens if he did take this approach. He wants to do everything in his power to lock in a long-term contract that brings himself some safety.
More than likely, none of this will lead to anything ugly. Dallas has made it very clear that it wants Pickens in town long-term. Pickens enjoyed great success in 2025 and would be wise to stick around as well.
What Does George Pickens Bring to the Field?
During the 2025 NFL season, Pickens put up career high numbers across the board.
In 17 games played, the 24-year-old wide receiver racked up 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. That production shows exactly why the Cowboys can’t afford to let him walk in free agency.
With both Pickens and CeeDee Lamb featured in the same offense, Dallas will consistently be one of the NFL’s most lethal passing offenses. Dak Prescott is living a quarterback’s dream having two legitimate No. 1 targets to throw to.
Expect to hear a lot about the Cowboys and Pickens this offseason. While the franchise tag is expected to be placed on him and he could sit out the offseason program, Pickens should be good to go for Week 1.