This is why George Pickens just made the best decision possible, and why we owe Cowboys front office an apology
The Dallas Cowboys start mandatory minicamp on Tuesday for three days of practice before taking a break prior to training camp. And guess who is back in the building?
Under 24 hours away from the start of Dallas Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp, wide receiver George Pickens is at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
The news, broken by Dallas Morning News’ Joseph Hoyt, answers one of the biggest questions of the offseason. Despite the Cowboys shutting down negotiations for a long-term deal in April, Pickens isn’t holding out.
And while the decision is a surprise to many fans and media members, it makes perfect sense. Here’s why.
Pickens is playing his cards right
Kenny Rogers said it best: You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.
Pickens wasn’t dealt pocket aces, that much is clear. The Cowboys were unlikely to sign him to a long-term deal even after he put up a second-team All-Pro season. When Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones closed the door on that possibility entirely, it left Pickens with two options.
- Threaten to hold out, maybe even miss regular season time, in an effort to spark contract negotiations back up. At this point, Pickens had not signed the tag, meaning he wouldn’t have been fined for missing minicamp and training camp.
- Show up and lock in. Pickens is going to be paid near the top of the market but stacking another standout season could position him to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.
Perhaps when Pickens signed the tag right after the draft, he was hoping for a trade that would translate to an extension. Perhaps he had already made his mind that he wanted to play in Dallas. Regardless, he’s clearly showing the “show up and lock in” option. That’s just smart business.
Pickens knows very well what he has with the Cowboys: a top tier quarterback throwing him the football in Dak Prescott and a “co-one” receiver that makes it tough on defenses to double him all game in CeeDee Lamb.
As he showed last year, that’s a recipe for a monster year. It took one year away from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation for Pickens to put up career highs. In Year 1 with Prescott, Pickens recorded 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
That’s with the Cowboys figuring out midyear that Pickens was a much more versatile receiver than his Steelers tape suggested. Imagine what he can do in Brian Schottenheimer’s second year calling the offense.
In other words, Pickens is following Prescott’s advice and betting on himself. To have the best year possible, showing up to minicamp (and subsequently, training camp), is the right move.
We owe the Cowboys front office an apology
One more thought: As someone who often criticizes the Cowboys’ approach to contract negotiations with big-time stars, it’s starting to look like they nailed this one.
Extending Pickens does not come without risk. The concerns coming out of Pittsburgh were very real, albeit the fact that Pickens behaved well in Dallas last year. It’s only fair to want to see him do it one more year.
By shutting down negotiations as early as they did, a proactive move in and of itself (which is rare from them), they forced Pickens to make a decision. And with both parties’ interests being aligned, everyone is winning with Pickens showing up.
While Pickens’ physical activity may be limited during the Cowboys’ three-day minicamp, his mere presence in installs should go a long way. Not to mention, head coach Brian Schottenheimer is big on team chemistry. Having everyone in the building sends the right message.