Cowboys star draws bold take from NFL analyst amid $27.3M situation

Cowboys star draws bold take from NFL analyst amid $27.3M situation originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

George Pickens is coming off his first Pro Bowl season in 2025. After being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dallas Cowboys, he elevated his game significantly, and expectations are now rising even higher for the 2026 season.

Tim Hasselbeck also believes Pickens is set for another leap next season.

“He's rare, and he might be the most talented Dallas Cowboy,” Hasselbeck said. “So that's saying something because the receiver opposite him is a number one wide receiver pretty much anywhere he goes. So I do think he can duplicate it. Has it always been locked in? Is he focused? That type of thing.

“His size, speed, and length are incredible, and you pair that with a really good quarterback. You get the numbers you saw a year ago. I would only expect him to grow. I think we'll look a year from now. He's gonna be pretty happy with what he's looking at in terms of a long-term contract with somebody.”

Pickens is coming off a season in which he led Dallas in all major receiving categories with 93 catches, 1,429 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He secured his future for the short term by signing a $27.3 million franchise tag last month. With that move, he avoided a lengthy holdout, but he can still skip voluntary offseason workouts.