The Dallas Cowboys made a big splash last offseason by acquiring George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it paid off, with the receiver enjoying a career-best season. But with his rookie contract set to expire, the Cowboys risk repeating the same mistake they made with Micah Parsons.
Dallas owner and general manager Jerry Jones has a reputation for dragging out negotiations, and Pickens claims talks haven’t even begun. While the Cowboys could use the franchise tag if a deal isn’t reached soon, would Pickens be happy with that?
George Pickens Doesn’t Seem Excited About Potentially Getting Franchise Tagged
Pickens, who ranks No. 3 in the PFSN’s NFL WR Impact metric with a B+ grade, didn’t exactly sound enthusiastic about the possibility of being franchise tagged by the Cowboys.
Speaking in an interview with Clarence Hill Jr. ahead of the Pro Bowl Games, Pickens was asked whether he would be comfortable playing under the franchise tag, projected to be worth $28 million. While the wide receiver didn’t directly answer the question, his response suggested the ball is firmly in the Cowboys’ court.
“I ain’t even thought about that because it’s been, kind of like you said, like some of his money and some of the space that he had, you see what I am mean? So, I can just wait on them, that’s all I can do, and chill with the guys,” he said.
Pickens went on to confirm that contract negotiations have not yet begun, echoing recent league reports. He also hinted that the Cowboys’ financial priorities, particularly money earmarked for Parsons, could be a factor.
“Not yet,” he said. “Going through a lot of Pro Bowl and just letting stuff float around. I feel like March 11, when free agency kind of opens up it’ll be more debacles, more talks and stuff like that.”
Dallas acquired Pickens last offseason for what amounted to a third-round draft pick, and the move paid off immediately. He finished third in the NFL with a career-high 1,429 receiving yards, adding 93 receptions and 9 touchdowns, also career highs, on his way to a second-team All-Pro selection and his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Losing Pickens, who ranks No. 1 on PFSN’s NFL Top 100 pending free agents list, would be a significant blow to the Cowboys’ offense. Under different circumstances, he might have already secured a long-term extension. But with Jerry Jones overseeing negotiations, certainty is never guaranteed.
Pickens would ideally like a long-term extension, and he deserves it after a career year, but Jones has historically completed major contract extensions very late in the offseason, including those for CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott.
There have been reports that Pickens would be unhappy with a franchise tag and could skip offseason workouts or even push for a tag-and-trade scenario. But if negotiations truly won’t begin until March, as Pickens suggested, a franchise tag appears increasingly likely. Dallas can apply the tag as early as Feb. 18, with a deadline of March 4.
