The Dallas Cowboys keep talking about busting the budget, but they just made it harder to believe they actually will
The Dallas Cowboys’ approach in free agency has to change. Their words about George Pickens fails to increase confidence they will.
The Dallas Cowboys continue to use the phrase “bust the budget” ahead of this year’s free agency, suggesting they will be more aggressive than usual when it comes to acquiring talent.
But following co-owner Stephen Jones’ comments to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine, it’s beginning to feel like the viral catchphrase will fall flat when it’s all said and done.
Jones’ comments on George Pickens underwhelm
At this year’s Combine in Indianapolis, the Cowboys are expected to begin negotiations with Pickens’ representatives for a long-term deal. But Jones’ preview of the negotiations made one thing clear: There is no rush to strike a deal.
“I wouldn’t put any timeframe on it,” Jones told reporters this week. “Once you have the tag, you have the tag and we know George is going to be here. And that’s where we are.”
The truly worrying part about Jones’ comments isn’t the above. After all, he said the Cowboys “think the world” of Pickens and that they “love him. He added both parts want him to stay in Dallas. It makes sense for the front office to not show urgency ahead of negotiations.
However, the apparent comfort with Pickens being on the tag before free agency is what fails to increase confidence on them being aggressive with signing free agents.
“[There is no downside to the tag],” Jones said. “We can do everything we need to do [in free agency].”
Not extending Pickens affects free agency
The reason I believe such a stance is worrisome is simple. If Pickens remains under the tag in March, his cap hit will be approximately $28 million. Every single dollar will count toward the cap. The tag is, after all, a one-year deal with a fully guaranteed salary.
A long-term contract, meanwhile, opens the door for signing bonuses and other tools that allow teams to spread out cap hits. Dallas would seriously benefit from that to free up cap space to address the many needs on defense.
In other words, extending Pickens isn’t just about ensuring he stays for more than one year. It’s also about improving the front office’s chances of rebuilding the defense and building a Super Bowl contender.
With a long-term deal, the Cowboys could reduce Pickens’ cap hit by nearly half. Jones doesn’t seem to be too worried about it. Hopefully, that means Dallas will change its usual lukewarm ways in free agency. But frankly, his words sound like the same old, same old approach we’ve come to know very well.
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