
Adam Schefter faced backlash after conflicting reports emerged about George Pickens signing his franchise tag with the Cowboys. Initially reported to have signed, Schefter later clarified that Pickens had not yet signed the tag, causing frustration among fans.
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SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 07: ESPN Monday Night Football Studio Analysts Adam Schefter during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA regular season football game between the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, Oct. 7, 2019 at Levi s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire NFL: OCT 07 Browns at 49ers PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxDENxONLY Icon269191007172 ©imago images/Icon SMI
Just ahead of the NFL Draft, Adam Schefter and other insiders like Ian Rapoport reported that George Pickens was âsigningâ the tag, leading many fans to believe the deal was done. However, on Monday, Schefter clarified that Pickens had not actually signed the franchise tag. This was later backed up by Todd Archer, who noted that Pickens wasnât even at the Dallas Cowboys facility for the first day of voluntary workouts. Schefter eventually took to Instagram to share a final update. But by then, many fans were already frustrated with the mixed messaging.
âA post-draft update: George Pickens still has not yet signed his franchise tag tender with the Cowboys. He is planning to, but still hasnât yet.â Adam Schefter posted on Instagram.
Adam Schefter initially reported that George Pickens was set to sign his franchise tag with the Cowboys, but later clarified that he had not yet signed it.
Fans are frustrated due to the mixed messaging and conflicting reports regarding George Pickens' franchise tag status, leading to confusion about the deal.
George Pickens' franchise tag with the Cowboys is valued at $27.3 million.
No, George Pickens was not present at the Dallas Cowboys facility for the first day of voluntary workouts.

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It was only a few days ago when major outlets reported that Pickens was set to sign his $27.3 million franchise tag, but post-draft updates later indicated he still hadnât signed the tender. That led to Adam Schefter being asked to clear things up during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
âWe reported he is signing, not that he had signed, and the plan is for him to sign,â Schefter clarified. âI checked in this morning, and he has not yet signed it, as Todd Archer pointed out. I checked in and was told that, âit was draft weekend; signing a tag immediately wasnât the first thing on his mind.ââ
Because of that earlier statement, fans are now questioning Schefterâs credibility. He also stated during his recent appearance that Pickens doesnât want to play on the franchise tag and would either like a new contract or to be traded.
âLook, he wants a long-term contract, or he would like a trade.â Schefter said. âThey have been very clear that theyâre not going to give him a long-term contract. So now that leaves them in a position, both sides, I think, thatâs a little bit unsettled at this current moment.â
Apparently, Dallas has gone the franchise tag route plenty of times, but the outcomes have been all over the place.
Dak Prescott and DeMarcus Lawrence were both tagged twice before eventually landing long-term deals. On the other hand, Dalton Schultz was tagged in 2022 and left the following offseason, while Tony Pollard played on the tag in 2023 and then moved on a year later. Two stayed, two left, not exactly the kind of track record that inspires much confidence.
Pickens also saw firsthand how things can play out. Last year, he watched from the sidelines as the Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons went through a messy contract situation. So he already has a pretty good sense of how this organization handles players itâs not fully ready to commit to.
Regardless, the conflicting reports back and forth from Schefter have frustrated fans, especially since the earlier confirmation on The Pat McAfee Show was taken as definitive. If Pickens remains unsigned, he is not under contract and cannot be fined for missing team activities, giving him significant leverage for a potential holdout.
With Adam Schefterâs conflicting reports, fans across platforms, from Reddit to Instagram, have been quick to call him out, expressing frustration over the mixed messages.
âSo you lied on draft day when yâall said he signed it đđđâ a fan pointed out.
Another fan added, âHe gone .. Next season. Long Live Jerry!â
Thereâs been some talk about a possible trade, but he would have to sign first for that to even be on the table. So far, though, there havenât been any discussions with other teams.
âPickens, I love you on the Cowboys, man, but you have to chase that money. If this team cared about you, they would give you what you wanted, knowing you can always put up numbers. Theyâre going to trade you anyway,â another fan chimed in.
Notably, executive vice president Stephen Jones has said, âWe have no intention of moving George.â
Still, if Dallas ever made Pickens available for trade, interest would be strong. After all. he delivered a career-best performance with 93 catches, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns last season with the Cowboys.
âGive that man the money he deserves!!!â another fan added, highlighting the major issue with the stalled contract talks.
âHere goes the Jones with that bullshit. Can never make anything easy.â The backlash may not stop with Schefter, it might only be a matter of time before attention shifts toward Jerry Jones as well.
For now, the Cowboys appear comfortable taking a wait-and-see approach as Pickens enters his second year with the team. The team is already paying CeeDee Lamb about $34 million per year, and committing that level of money to two top receivers would be difficult to manage.
Until there is clear confirmation from the team or the player, the uncertainty is only adding to the frustration.
The post âYou Liedâ: Adam Schefter Faces Backlash As Conflicting Reports Surface on George Pickens and Cowboys appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.