Cowboys’ negotiations with George Pickens might be about to get more complicated due to latest NFL news
The wide receiver market may be about to change as the Dallas Cowboys take negotiations with George Pickens without any urgency.
The Dallas Cowboys aren’t in a rush to get a long-term deal done with wide receiver George Pickens, who officially received the franchise tag last week. They may be about to pay the price for it.
That’s because a massive development just unexpectedly emerged for the wide receiver market, and it may set an entirely new floor for Pickens’ price tag. Let’s break it down.
Pickens’ price tag may be about to change
A long-term contract extension for Pickens is currently expected to be somewhere in the $30-35 million per year range.
We know what’s the starting point: If the Cowboys were to tag Pickens in back-to-back years, they’d pay him an average of $30.03 million per year. That’s the floor.
But it could change if a wide receiver that has never produced as much as Pickens did in a single season gets more in the open market. Enter Indianapolis Colts WR Alec Pierce, who is about to become a free agent.
In a recent interview on the Up & Adams show, Pierce essentially announced he isn’t reaching a contract extension with the Colts after he didn’t receive the franchise tag.
“I love Indy, but at this point, I’ve kind of earned the right to explore free agency,” Pierce said on the show. “See what’s out there.”
Why Pierce’s decision matters
The reason why Pierce is going to test the market is simple. There are a lot of wide receiver-needy teams, and they’re all expected to be in on Pierce, who will be the top WR available next week. According to NFL insider James Palmer, the Colts WR is expected to make much more than fans and media members expect.
“He’s seen as the Christian Kirk of this cycle,” Palmer wrote in a social media post. “NFL people expect him to be the, ‘He got WHAT?’ player this year.”
If Pierce exceeds $30 million per year in a bidding war situation, there’s no question he would set a new floor for Pickens. In four years in the league, Pierce has one 1,000-yard season to Pickens’ two.
They both set career-high numbers in 2025, and Pickens beat Pierce by 426 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Expect NFL teams to fight over Pierce in the coming weeks. And if and when he does get a deal worth over $30 million per year, expect Pickens’ agent, David Mulugheta, to take notes.
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