Last year, before the Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons, he said he was a Cowboy for life. Eventually, he played the 2025 season with the Green Bay Packers. Fast forward to this offseason, and while George Pickens is not expected to be traded, the early narrative feels familiar. At least for now, Brian Schottenheimer wants him to be in Dallas for the long haul.

“Hey look, GP loves it here. We love GP,” Schottenheimer said. “We have plans for GP to be here for a long time, so we’ll let the business side of this thing play out and see where it goes.”

Just like Parsons, Pickens is also seeking a contract extension. However, negotiations have not reportedly started yet. Instead, the Cowboys have placed the franchise tag on him ahead of the 2026 season, giving themselves until July 15 to get a deal done. If not, Pickens will either play on a one-year deal or consider holding out.

Meanwhile, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has echoed similar sentiments about Pickens’ future. Speaking at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Jones made it clear the franchise wants him long term.

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“Very clearly the Cowboys want George Pickens to be a part of our future,” Jerry told the reporters. “That’s very clearly. That says that so clearly. And it has a lot of muscle behind it when it says it. So I’m clear with that. I was rewarded that he expressed himself in the way he did about how he comfortable he was here, how much he liked working with Dak [Prescott] and his teammates and he was looking forward to his future with the Cowboys.”

But then again, the Cowboys have a habit of stretching out contract negotiations. And more often than not, that approach has not really worked in their favor. In Pickens’ case, that risk is very much on the table. After all, Jaxson Smith-Njigba has already reset the wide receiver market with a four-year, $168 million deal.

Pickens may not be expected to reset the market himself, but his value has clearly gone up.

But it’s pretty evident why both Schottenheimer and Jones want Pickens to be part of their future. After acquiring Pickens along with a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, he delivered the best season of his career.

He played all 17 games, set career highs with 93 receptions, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns, and earned both his first Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors.

So the logic is straightforward. George Pickens has earned an extension. The Cowboys know it, and he knows it. But like every contract situation in Dallas, it will come down to timing, leverage, and whether Jerry Jones is ready to meet the number. Meanwhile, as Pickens continues to wait on an extension, Schottenheimer has also addressed the receiver’s potential availability during the offseason program.

Brian Schottenhiemer has no clear answer on George Pickens’ offseason program availability

Brian Schottenheimer has seen this situation play out before in Dallas. A star player is in the middle of contract uncertainty, shows up around the team, but does not fully participate. Last year, it was Micah Parsons. This year, it could be George Pickens. And that is exactly why the Cowboys head coach is not making any assumptions about Pickens showing up for offseason programs.

“And I haven’t pushed that on him,” the head coach said of Pickens from the NFL meetings in Phoenix. “I mean, again, we’re all going through the process. It’s almost April. We’re still a couple weeks away. It’s going to play out the way it plays out. Again, it’s all voluntary. We’ll see where it goes.”

Pickens is widely expected to miss at least part of the offseason program. And even if he does show up, there is a real chance he does not fully participate. The Cowboys have placed the $27.3 million franchise tag on him, and as of now, there have been no meaningful extension talks with his representatives.

It is a familiar script. Parsons went through something similar. He wanted a long-term deal, but the front office did not finalize one, and while he showed up early, he avoided workouts. He attended mandatory minicamp and training camp but did not practice, and eventually, he was traded to the Packers.

Pickens’ situation is not identical, but the pressure points are similar. The Cowboys have until July 15 to get a long-term deal done. However, there is also another layer here. Dallas used the nonexclusive franchise tag, which means Pickens can negotiate with other teams. If he signs an offer sheet elsewhere, the Cowboys can match it or let him walk in exchange for two first-round picks.

For now, the expectation is that Jerry Jones does not repeat what happened with Parsons. And whether Pickens gets his deal done soon or not is likely to be one of the biggest storylines of this offseason program.