The Dallas Cowboys placed the one-year, $27.3 million franchise tag on George Pickens earlier this year for the 2026 season. Now, months after that development, the 25-year-old WR has opened up about where he stands as questions persist about his long-term future with the NFC East franchise.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
CBS Sports Analyst Bryant McFadden landed in a conversation with George Pickens from the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp, asking, “Is there a certain number that you would love to be able to hear come from your agent in terms of contract that you be like, ‘Yeah, let’s get it done.'”
“Definitely something that the other guys are getting, you know what I mean?
Because that’s all I can really look forward to. I can’t really ask for nothing too crazy, but just what I see. So definitely somewhere where the other guys are getting,” Pickens said.
The current NFL wide receiver market goes between $35 million and $45 million annually. Earlier this year, in March, Jaxon Smith-Njigba signed a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension with the Seattle Seahawks, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, with an average annual salary of $42.15 million and over $120 million in guaranteed money.
Similarly, Atlanta Falcons‘ Drake London also saw a similar upgrade in his contract. The 25-year-old WR signed a 4-year, $141 million contract extension, which includes $100 million in total guaranteed money and an average annual salary of $35.26 million.
When an elite player signs a new extension, that contract serves as the brand-new floor for the next star lining up for a deal.
George Pickens is four seasons into his NFL career, with 267 receptions for 4,270 yards under his name in 65 regular-season games. Meanwhile, Drake London, who will now earn around $35 million annually, has recorded 309 catches for 3,961 yards in 62 regular-season games.
On top of that, Pickens is coming off a breakout season with the Dallas Cowboys. Lining up as the playmaker for QB Dak Prescott, the 25-year-old WR has recorded 1,429 receiving yards in 93 receptions while posting nine touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Pickens also posted 1,000+ receiving yards in two of his four seasons.
Meanwhile, there have been more positives about Pickens’ future at Dallas than negatives, as owner Jerry Jones hinted during a conversation about the 25-year-old WR.
“Make no mistake about it, George [Pickens] could be a Cowboy for the rest of his career, and that’d be a long time,” JJ said.
If George Pickens maintains the same momentum for the 2026 season as last year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones might be interested in materializing his words on a contract.