George Pickens will play the 2026 season with the Dallas Cowboys. The team needed to check this off their list in the offseason because, quite frankly, they need the WR. There are still some doubts around Pickens after he pulled a rather attention-grabbing move, but Dak Prescott is confident in his star WR.

“I’ve just shown George my support,” Dak Prescott told reporters at the Cowboys’ annual Reliant Home Run Derby this week. “The guy that I know George is. He obviously signed the tag. So, when he has to be there and ready to play, he’s going to be there. He’s a hell of a talent. We’ve thrown this offseason. So, I’m comfortable with where he’s at and excited for when he gets in the building and gets rolling.”

Dak Prescott knows a thing or two about contract disputes with the Cowboys. Back in 2020, he played under the exclusive franchise tag after failing to reach a long-term extension agreement with the Cowboys. The team only signed Prescott to a four-year, $160 million deal in March 2021. So, it makes sense why Prescott relates to George Pickens’ situation.

The WR’s $27.3 million salary this year is ranked 15th in the league for the position. A contract would have put him in the $30 million range, but that is out of the question for now. Many thought that the Cowboys’ lack of eagerness to hike his salary up to this number was probably why Pickens was delaying signing the tag.

Pickens was not part of the team workout held on May 12, his first after signing the tag. It’s not that big of a problem since it was voluntary. But had Pickens participated in it, it would have sent a big message to the Cowboys about his intent. He signed the tag to play and earn that $27.3 million. Another strong season should definitely earn him a solid contract. Voluntarily showing up for practices would have helped Pickens build a strong case for it.

Dallas got a steal deal in the WR when they signed him last year, as he was coming off a statistically bad 2024 season. But he reached his ceiling in the 2025 season, emerging third in the league among WRs with 1,429 yards. This is why Dallas also didn’t want to let go of Pickens when his one-year contract expired.

However, there is a nagging worry among fans for a very genuine reason. Pickens skipping a workout would remind them of a very troubling situation from the past.

Dak Prescott faced the same situation with CeeDee Lamb

If Prescott and his receivers want to dominate again, they will need reps during the OTAs and training camp. The Cowboys already learned that lesson during CeeDee Lamb’s contract holdout in 2024. The QB and the WR struggled to fully click early that season, and Lamb did not record a 100-yard game until Week 8. 

“It wasn’t pleasurable at all,” Lamb said after signing his extension in August 2024. about missing practice. “I can count on my two hands how many times I told my agent I’m ready to be out there. I know he kind of got tired of hearing it.”

It seems like that same saga is repeating, only the main character has changed. Like Prescott, even Lamb has somewhat been in Pickens’ shoes.

The WR has been a vocal supporter of having Pickens on the roster. He said in the past that he didn’t mind if Pickens earned more than him. Lamb had even said that if this happened, he’d “congratulate him personally.”

George Pickens not participating in the voluntary workouts complicates a situation that had just begun to simplify. Is the WR making plans to move out after the 2026 season? Or is he still counting on Dallas to finally sign him on a contract? We’ll have to wait and watch.