George Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys
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George Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2026 NFL offseason facing a major question about the future of star wide receiver George Pickens.
With Pickens set to become a free agent, Jerry Jones and company had to make a decision. Would they re-sign him to a long-term extension or place the franchise tag on him to bide some time?
That decision was made when the Cowboys opted to place the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens. However, that non-exclusive tag hasn’t been signed and other teams are still able to discuss contract options with Pickens. No true resolution has been made.
Dallas will still need to decide whether it should trade Pickens or sign him long-term.
Keeping that in mind, a new prediction has been made by Bleacher Report about the outcome of the Pickens situation.
Cowboys Land New George Pickens Prediction Before NFL Draft
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton has predicted that it’s more likely the Cowboys will work out a new long-term deal with Pickens rather than trading him away.
“The Cowboys have $14.4 million in cap space, and they could restructure Quinnen Williams’ contract to clear an additional $14.6 million. The club has the financial flexibility to sign Pickens to a new deal, keeping the league’s No. 2 passing attack from the previous campaign mostly intact,” Moton wrote.
“While a trade is possible, the Cowboys are more likely to strike a deal with Pickens before training camp.”
Pickens broke out as a star in his first season with Dallas. Seeing him walk away would be a tough pill to swallow for the Cowboys, although they are already paying big money to fellow star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
What would a new deal with Pickens cost Dallas? It has been suggested that an extension for the 25-year-old wide receiver would be a four-year deal worth somewhere between $101 to $124 million.
Keeping Pickens Would Be the Wise Choice for Dallas
At the end of the day, letting star-caliber talent walk out the door is usually bad business.
Throughout the course of the 2025 NFL season with the Cowboys, Pickens played in 17 games. He racked up 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. Those numbers were all career bests.
While the 2025 season was impressive from the young wideout, he still has room to grow. He is starting to show the superstar potential that many saw in him when he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Georgia.
Expect to continue hearing rumors and news about Pickens in the coming weeks. Dallas will need to make a decision within the next few months or will risk a training camp and preseason holdout.