Once George Pickens signed the one-year, $27.3 million deal under the non-exclusive franchise tag after failing to reach a long-term agreement, executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team expected him to report for voluntary workouts. But as the Dallas Cowboys kicked off workouts on May 12, they may have already gotten their first glimpse of Pickens’ unpredictability.

“For those keeping track, today was the first team workout for the Cowboys since George Pickens signed his franchise tag, but he was not present,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris reported via X. “Even though the workouts do have high team attendance, it’s all voluntary at this point. Nothing is mandatory until June 16.”

Pickens not showing up to the Cowboys’ first team workout wouldn’t lead to any financial ramifications for the wide receiver, as it was a voluntary training session. It could be a sign of things to come, with the Dallas Cowboys starting their official minicamp on June 16 following OTAs early next month on the following days: Monday, June 1; Tuesday, June 2; Thursday, June 4; Monday, June 8; Tuesday, June 9; and Thursday, June 11.

This absence also raised eyebrows, as fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb and QB1 Dak Prescott were present for the first voluntary workout and already getting to work. The Cowboys’ social media team even shared a video in which Prescott could be seen firing a dart to Lamb, who secured the pass before finishing his drill.

The trio was the backbone of one of the most electrifying offenses last season, as Prescott threw for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns. On the receiving front, Pickens led with 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns while Lamb added 1,077 receiving yards and three scores. Hence, any issues caused by Pickens’ absence in these voluntary workouts could lead to larger problems on the offense, which might hinder their success in the 2026 season.

Now it will be interesting to see what happens next for the Cowboys, who faced a similar situation ahead of last season, when star defensive end Micah Parsons was engaged in his holdout as he and the Cowboys failed to reach an agreement about a long-term deal. With no resolution met, Parsons announced on social media that he doesn’t want to play in Dallas before being traded to the Green Bay Packers.

He also signed a record-breaking four-year, $188 million contract extension ($120 million fully guaranteed). As Pickens, like Parsons, is represented by super agent David Mulugheta, the Dallas Cowboys could be headed for a whirlwind offseason ahead of the 2026 season.

With that said, many would wonder why the Dallas front office opted for another round of tough negotiations after the mess of last season. ESPN’s Dan Graziano revealed that the reasons were predominantly caused by their initial commitment to CeeDee Lamb.

What role did CeeDee Lamb play in the Cowboys-George Pickens saga?

Although the Pickens and Lamb duo is expected to dominate in the 2026 season as they did last year, the pair may not be playing together for long, with the franchise struggling to secure a long-term deal with the younger wideout. While Dan Graziano highlighted that teams, including the Cowboys, appear wary of Pickens based on his exit from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cowboys still decided to take a chance on him.

Graziano also revealed how CeeDee Lamb’s massive extension from last season has hindered the Cowboys from adding another top-paid wideout to the roster without fully understanding that he isn’t a one-hit wonder, especially in the modern salary cap era.

“Carrying two of the highest-paid receivers in the league would be a salary cap challenge,” Graziano wrote.

With Lamb’s four-year, $136 million extension holding the Cowboys back from signing Pickens to a blockbuster deal, the 2026 season will be crucial for both wideouts. And if the former Steelers star can replicate his heroics from last season, the Dallas front office may not have a choice but to agree on a massive deal to secure their future in the league.