The Dallas Cowboys, especially owner Jerry Jones, aren’t ready to let George Pickens walk away just yet. After a massive first year in Dallas, where he had 93 receptions for 1,429 yards with a total of 9 touchdowns, the team is using the franchise tag to keep him around while they decide whether to sign Pickens to a multi-year deal.

Last month, the Dallas Cowboys moved to secure wideout George Pickens by applying the non-exclusive franchise tag. While the tag is a one-year deal, Jerry Jones often uses it as a placeholder to buy more time for negotiations. When asked about the timeline for a new contract, Jerry Jones didn’t show his cards, but made his intentions clear.

“I don’t know,” Jones said. “The franchise tag has an automatic timeframe on it and all of us will – and it’s my plan and our thought – that we’ll all be working within the timeframe of the conditions of the franchise tag. It should play itself out is the best way for me to say it. Make no mistake about it, we have long-term plans in mind for Pickens.”

Jones noted that the tag has a built-in deadline of July 15, and the team plans to use that time to talk. Cowboys, too, realize that Pickens is an asset. Since arriving from the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, Pickens has been among the top receivers for the Dallas offense.

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But there is also a slight possibility that the team can let him go, to make more money to build a strong roster by utilizing the players’ cap space. 

“The Cowboys have shown a willingness to trade their star players for significant draft pick compensation,” Rapoport said on NFL GameDay Morning, alluding to the blockbuster trade of Micah Parsons to the Packers. “Maybe those players have the same agent in David Mulugheta. I’m just saying, it’s an interesting situation to consider.”

If the two sides can’t agree on a long-term contract by July 15, Pickens will play the 2026 season on a one-year deal worth $27.298 million.

The immediate concern is the upcoming offseason workouts. Until Pickens signs the tag or a new deal, he isn’t required to show up. For now, Cowboys fans are left waiting to see if Pickens will be on the field when practice begins.

What is the other alternative for George Pickens?

As the Dallas Cowboys get ready to start their offseason workouts in a few weeks, head coach Brian Schottenheimer isn’t sure if his star receiver, George Pickens, will actually be there. 

Pickens is currently playing under the franchise tag, and since these early spring practices are voluntary, Schottenheimer told reporters at the NFL meetings in Phoenix that he isn’t going to pressure him. 

“And I haven’t pushed that on him,” Schottenheimer said 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 of weeks away. It’s going to play out the way it plays out. Again, it’s all voluntary. We’ll see where it goes.”

Also, because of the way the team has labeled the deal, Pickens is technically allowed to talk to other teams. If someone else wanted to sign him, they’d have to give Dallas two first-round draft picks in return. This makes the possibility quite unlikely but not impossible.

This situation probably feels like a bad case of déjà vu for Schottenheimer. Just last year, he had to manage a high-stakes standoff with Micah Parsons. 

That drama ended poorly, with Parsons refusing to practice before eventually being traded to the Green Bay Packers right before the season started. The team is likely hoping to avoid that kind of headache this time around, especially with a player as productive as Pickens.

The reality is that the Cowboys might just want Pickens to play out the 2026 season on this one-year deal to see if he can keep his head down and stay out of trouble. If everything goes well, there is a possibility that the team might again put him under another franchise tag for the 2027 season.

Even though Pickens was an All-Pro last year, ranking near the top of the league in yards and touchdowns, the maturity issues that led the Steelers to trade him away are still at the back of everyone’s mind. And that might be causing the team a bit of an issue in concluding the matter.