Cowboys WR George Pickens makes it official, signs franchise tag

The long-awaited signature has been put to paper. Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens has officially signed his franchise tag tender, contractually binding him to the club for the 2026 season.

The move- while promised last week just before the NFL draft- took another several days to actually happen, which led to a fair bit of nail-biting drama for the Cowboys and their fans (shocking!) in the interim.

But according to multiple reports with sources inside The Star, Pickens has done exactly what he (and insider Ian Rapoport) said he would do and made things official.

So what happens now?

Well, not much.

Pickens may start participating in the team workouts that began this week, but he doesn't have to, since everything in Phase One of the offseason program is voluntary. His attendance won't be mandatory until June 16, the start of the team's minicamp.

The Cowboys, technically, can still negotiate with Pickens and his representatives on a long-term pact. They have until July 15 to do so, but Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones has stated that there are no plans to work on a deal. Dallas says they are prepared to let Pickens play out the entirety of 2026 on the tag for $27.3 million.

The signed tender does allow the Cowboys to trade Pickens, something that was raised as a possibility worth watching heading into draft weekend. But the team has made it clear they have no intention of moving the 25-year-old, who is coming off his best season as a pro.

Under the current parameters, Pickens will become a free agent again at the conclusion of the 2026 season. At that time, the Cowboys could choose to tag him again for even more money, sign him to a long-term contract, or let him leave for another team.

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