George Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys
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George Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys
From the perspective of the Dallas Cowboys, it’s a done deal, it’s checked off on the to-do list and there isn’t much more to worry about when it comes to wide receiver George Pickens. He entered the offseason as a free agent, and the Cowboys gave him a one-year $27 million franchise-tag contract, and are prepared to move forward.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer referenced that notion last week in an interview with the Cowboys website, when he said that the team did a “hell of a job” adding in free agency and continued, “I think it starts with the guys we brought back first and foremost. I’m always going to start with George and Javonte, guys like that that we’ve signed back on the offensive side of the ball.”
Indeed, Javonte Williams‘ three-year, $24 million contract was the Cowboys’ first free-agent swing, and an atypically early contract for them. The Pickens tag came in late February, and while he has not signed it, the team still acts as though it’s a done deal.
Cowboys ‘Not Worried About’ George Pickens Contract
Speaking on “The One-Star Podcast” this week, Cowboys beat writer Jon Machota pointed out that there could well be drama around the Pickens contract this summer–in fact, there almost certainly will be drama. But the Cowboys have taken a decidedly, “What, me worry?” stance when it comes to their star receiver.
“(Schottenheimer) mentioned about what they’ve done in free agency and how they have Javonte Williams and George Pickens—the way he talks about it, the way the front office talks about it, they’re already like, ‘Yeah, well, we got him, we’re not worried about it, we’re not losing any sleep over this,’” Machota said.
“Brian Schottenheimer has only been the coach for one season and he had to deal with Micah Parsons and everything that went on in training camp last year, so he’s already gotten a crash course. He should be ready.”
Cowboys Drama an Annual Staple
Of course, the Cowboys and their coaches and the team’s fans know well what to be ready for. We’ve seen it in each of the past two summers, when the team had a major player who needed a new contract and skipped out on training camp because of it. It was Parsons last year, who conducted a “hold-in” during the team’s camp in Oxnard and was traded in late August.
Two years ago, it was CeeDee Lamb, who did not show up at camp until he got a new contract, which also didn’t happen until the final week of the offseason. In both cases, training camp was overshadowed by the looming contract issues.
That could, indeed, happen again with Pickens, who is coming off a year in which he caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards–third in the NFL, and the fourth-most in Cowboys history.
George Pickens New Deal Has July 15 Deadline
While the Cowboys have made their offer to Pickens, he could hold out for a long-term deal, and that’s where the potential offseason drama comes in. Pickens will want to be paid like one of the top receivers in the NFL, but the Cowboys will want to see him repeat what he did in 2025 before committing to him long-term–Pickens had three underwhelming seasons in Pittsburgh before arriving in Dallas.
The Cowboys and Pickens have until July 15 to negotiate a new long-term deal, after which Pickens can continue to hold out but will likely be stuck playing on the franchise tag.