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The Dallas Cowboys will have George Pickens play on a franchise tag for the 2026 season, ending hopes for a long-term deal. This decision may open the door for the Cowboys to consider drafting Makai Lemon with their 12th pick.
George Pickens franchise tag news should put Makai Lemon in play for Cowboys at pick 12 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Dallas Cowboys' front office, led by owner and general manager Jerry Jones, held a pre-draft press conference on Wednesday and revealed some major news regarding wide receiver George Pickens' contract situation.
Dallas decided to slap the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens earlier this offseason in hopes of eventually coming to an agreement on a long-term deal. However, that no longer seems like a possibility after the franchise's press conference.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones announced that Pickens will be playing on the franchise tag this upcoming season, and the Cowboys have no plans to engage in an extension with the star receiver. Dallas informed Pickens' agent of their decision to stop contract talks last week.
It is worth noting that Pickens hasn't officially signed his franchise tag with Dallas, and it's unknown when he will. There's a solid chance the 25-year-old ends up holding out of summer activities and even training camp.
Pickens had a breakout season in 2025 in his first season with the Cowboys, posting 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 93 receptions. The Georgia product also snagged 11 receptions over 20 yards, establishing himself as an explosive playmaker for quarterback .
The Cowboys placed a franchise tag on George Pickens to retain him for the upcoming season while they explored the possibility of a long-term deal.
The franchise tag means George Pickens will play for the Cowboys in 2026 under a one-year contract, with no current plans for a long-term extension.
With George Pickens on a franchise tag, the Cowboys may focus on drafting Makai Lemon with their 12th pick to strengthen their receiving corps.

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If Pickens ends up holding out into the regular season, receiver will turn into a major need for the Cowboys. Dallas lacks a quality No. 3 receiving option, but luckily for them, this year's draft is filled with a bunch of exciting talent at the position.
One player who should now be on the Cowboys' radar at No. 12 overall is USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. Though the 5-foot-11 receiver primarily operates in the slot, playing 75.4% of his snaps out of the slot in college, Lemon is a dynamic threat and elite separator who led all Power 4 qualifiers in yards per route run in the slot (2.85) in 2025. The 21-year-old would be the perfect receiver to field next to CeeDee Lamb and bring the most out of Prescott.
Lemon also generated 35 explosive plays for USC last season, so he would be able to replace some of the explosiveness Dallas would be losing if Pickens isn't on the field.
Overall, all signs point to the Cowboys targeting defense with pick 12, but Lemon has to be in consideration, especially with the latest news on Pickens' contract.
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