Dallas Cowboys have made no progress on George Pickens per report
TL;DR
The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly making no progress in contract negotiations with wide receiver George Pickens, who is currently under a franchise tag. With the NFL receiver market hovering around $40M per year, the Cowboys are in a strong position with Pickens for the upcoming season.
Key points
- Dallas Cowboys are not progressing in contract talks with George Pickens
- Pickens is under a franchise tag worth nearly $28 million for 2026
- The NFL receiver market is around $40 million per year
- Stephen Jones confirmed no long-term deal will be negotiated
The Cowboys are nowhere close with George Pickens
Adam Schefter took to the television airwaves of ESPN on Wednesday morning and when he did he discussed where the Dallas Cowboys currently sit with wide receiver George Pickens. According to Schefter the Cowboys are ânowhereâ with Pickens. Letâs lay out where the Cowboys are with Pickens through the lens of how they got here:
- Dallas traded for Pickens following last yearâs draft
- They gave the Pittsburgh Steelers their third-round pick in this yearâs draft
- Pickens played very well for the Cowboys
- He arguably earned a market rate deal
- The market for NFL wide receivers is hovering around $40M per year
- Dallas placed the franchise tag on Pickens earlier this offseason
- The value for that is just south of $28M for the 2026 season specifically The ânowhereâ that Schefter is describing is obviously with regards to a long-term extension. It should be noted that the Cowboys took care of a different long-term deal earlier this week by finally inking kicker Brandon Aubrey to one, but the intensity that Schefter carries in his report may not be one that Dallas feels.
The Cowboys donât need to move on Pickens right now
I am often the first to cast stones at the Cowboys for how they handle long-term deals. This is not something that they are good at or proactive with regards to. This is not breaking news to anyone.
Let me also offer that I was *against* the Pickens trade to begin with and that even though I was, I wrote immediately after that Dallas should have taken care of a long-term deal for him at the time. I understand now and understood then that people had questions about Pickens, but forcing a player to âprove itâ is betting against yourself on some level. Water under the bridge, though.
Even though things could have arguably been done more smoothly a year ago, the Cowboys began these negotiations with Pickens with a baked-in advantage that they did not have when they negotiated with the likes of Dak Prescott (the most recent time), CeeDee Lamb, or Micah Parsons: the franchise tag.
Q&A
What is the current status of George Pickens' contract with the Cowboys?
The Cowboys are currently not making progress on a long-term contract extension for George Pickens, who is under a franchise tag.
How much is George Pickens' franchise tag worth for the 2026 season?
The franchise tag for George Pickens is valued at just under $28 million for the 2026 season.
What are the implications of the Cowboys not negotiating a long-term deal with Pickens?
Not negotiating a long-term deal means the Cowboys can retain Pickens at a lower cost for the upcoming season, but it may lead to complications if negotiations do not progress before the July 15 deadline.
What did Stephen Jones say about George Pickens' future with the Cowboys?
Stephen Jones indicated that the Cowboys plan to have George Pickens play on the franchise tag in 2026 and will not be pursuing a long-term deal at this time.
