Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens is the only player on a franchise tag this year, as the deadline to secure a contract passed on July 15. The franchise clearly took the cheaper route for this one, which might end up hurting the WR in the process.

“If [Pickens] does play on the tag, it’s a gigantic mistake,” former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho said on Speakeasy. “You work to get a long-term contract. And he did everything he was supposed to do. Hey, trade me to a team. I’m going to lock in. I’m going to stay focused. I’m not going to miss any games for any boneheaded reasons. I’m going to go crazy. I’m going to the ball. And y’all are going to pay me long-term money. That’s the deal. He did his end of the bargain.”

George Pickens proved he deserves a long-term contract after recording 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last year. He turned out to be a steal deal for the Cowboys, who had traded for him from the Pittsburgh Steelers and signed him to a one-year deal. Pickens more than proved himself as a key piece of the Cowboys’ offense. He stepped up when Lamb missed time due to injury.

Though Pickens said he did not mind playing on the tag, he gave fans the idea of a possible holdout. Pickens was absent during all the voluntary workouts this offseason. At one point, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said he was unsure if Pickens would attend. Before he joined the team for the mandatory minicamp, he gave Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris a very confusing answer about whether he was going to be a part.

Now, there is also a chance that Pickens gets franchise tagged next year. Stephen Jones already said in May this year that there are no long-term opportunities for the WR at the moment. However, franchise tagging Pickens next year will be costly, as noted by The Athletic.

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Dallas would have to pay George Pickens the 2027 tag amount for his position or 120 percent of his prior year’s salary, whichever sum is higher. Since neither situation will be easy on the Cowboys’ financials, there is all the reason for Pickens to become a free agent in 2027.

Having a contract this year would have guaranteed him security.

Contract disputes have earned the Cowboys a bad rap: They signed Dak Prescott to his current deal hours before the 2024 season began, and infamously had to trade away Micah Parsons after contract negotiations fell through.

We will have to wait and watch if the Cowboys gamble away George Pickens, too.