The Dallas Cowboys finished with a 7-9-1 record last season and had one of the best offenses in the NFL. Dallas’s defense was the reason why this team missed the playoffs. The tandem of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens was very effective. The Cowboys traded for Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason before the 2025 NFL season began.
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Dec 21, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) celebrates with wide receiver George Pickens (3) following a touchdown pass caught by Pickens during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
During the 2025 NFL season with Dallas, he caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards receiving and nine touchdowns, along with averaging 15.4 yards per reception. Pickens was also targeted 137 times last season. The Cowboys decided to franchise tag him this offseason and not give him a long-term contract. Pickens is only 25 years old. Will 2026 be the final season that he is with Dallas, or will he be able to be with this franchise for the long term here?
NFL Analyst Questions Why the Dallas Cowboys Did Not Give WR George Pickens a Long-Term Contract Extension
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Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) warms up before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
ESPN.com NFL analyst Dan Graziano wrote about 10 different burning questions as the 2026 NFL season approaches. One of the questions he wonders about the Cowboys is why didn’t they sign Pickens to a long-term deal. Graziano said,
“In his first season in Dallas, Pickens was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. The Cowboysgot himfor a third-round pick around this time last year, and he more than delivered on that investment. Pickens was eligible for free agency, but the Cowboys used their franchise tag to keep him off the market.
Just before the draft, they announced publicly that theywouldnotwork ona long-term contract with Pickens this offseason and that they expected him to play on the franchise tag, which will pay him a fully guaranteed $27.298 million in 2026. Shortly after the draft, Pickenssignedhis franchise tender.
There are a few reasons the Cowboys want to see Pickens do it again before deciding whether to commit long-term money to him. They’re already paying wide receiverCeeDee Lamb an average of $34 million per year, and carrying two of the highest-paid receivers in the league would be a salary cap challenge. Another reason, as team president Stephen Jones said a few weeks ago, is that Pickens is still new to Dallas. He doesn’t have as much in the bank with them as he would if it had been the team that drafted and developed him.
There are explanations for why the Cowboys were able to get a player as talented as Pickens from the Steelers a year ago for only a third-round pick, just as there are explanations for why no team sent him an offer sheet after Dallas tagged him. Pickens’ time in Pittsburgh included persistent questions about consistency and focus, and while the Cowboys’ 2025 experience with him was positive, it’s not unreasonable for them to wait another season before making the kind of commitment his on-field performance deserves on its own.
Who knows? If Pickens has another big year and Lamb struggles with his health again, maybe the Cowboys feel differently aboutbothplayers a year from now. But they’ve decided the franchise tag is the right way to go with Pickens in 2026.”
The Cowboys no doubt have messed things up big time when it comes to contract negotiations. This is why Micah Parsons decided to ask for a trade for Dallas last offseason, and he was eventually traded to the Green Bay Packers. Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have messed up many things over the years in the front office.
If Pickens were to have another big season, Dallas will have no choice but to pay up. Pickens and Lamb being paid like the tandem of Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase with the Cincinnati Bengals is not necessarily a bad thing either. The Cowboys have Prescott as quarterback and the Bengals have Joe Burrow as quarterback. Both teams are similar that they have elite offenses and not so strong defenses also.
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