The Dallas Cowboys and George Pickens didn’t reach a contract extension before NFL deadline, so here’s what’s next
The Dallas Cowboys and George Pickens knew this was coming, as did the rest of the NFL world. But it’s now official, and it’s time to look at what’s next.
As expected, the NFL’s July 15 deadline for teams to strike multi-year contract extensions with franchise tagged players came and went with no George Pickens news. It’s now official. The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver will play the 2026 season on a contract year.
In this case, a contract that will pay him over $27 million. Let’s dive into how we got here and most importantly, what’s next.
Will George Pickens report to training camp?
The short answer is: yes.
The long answer is if you didn’t know that by now, it’s probably because you took a break from the NFL during the offseason. But Pickens reported to mandatory minicamp in June and even participated in practice.
Most importantly, however, he told reporters he didn’t plan to hold out (nor hold in) from training camp once it kicked off in July 28 at Oxnard, California.
Why this Pickens news isn’t surprising
The Cowboys weren’t bluffing when they announced to the NFL world pre-draft they would shut down negotiations for a long-term deal with Pickens. The decision, though controversial at the time, seems to have paid off big time.
With no expectations of a long-term deal, holding out made little sense for Pickens, which is probably what the Cowboys were betting on. After all, his 2025 standout season is a great example of what he can be, but NFL teams (including the Cowboys) need to see more before committing large sums of money to his career. Stephen Jones claimed no teams made trade offers for Pickens earlier in the offseason.
For Pickens, the goal has to be becoming the highest-paid receiver in the game. It’s unlikely he would have gotten than from any team in 2026. But if he’s able to stack All-Pro-caliber seasons (and avoid any off-field troubles or narratives like the ones who followed him around Pittsburgh), Pickens can rise his price tag to the top of the market.
In other words, the Cowboys’ interests are aligned to those of Pickens. Both sides are betting on a strong 2026 season.
So what’s next?
I know we’re used to big-time Cowboys drama but… pretty much nothing. The Cowboys can trade him but it sure sounds like that’s not going to happen. And yes, we said the same about Micah Parsons last year, but that was different, starting with the fact that there was a contract negotiation going on.
Plus, Pickens’ relationship with the Cowboys appears to be in a much better spot despite the lack of a long-term deal.
What’s really next is football. Pickens will gear up for another big year. And if it goes as planned, the Cowboys will have to make a decision. Do they tag Pickens again? Do they try to sign him to a long-term deal? Or do they move on without the young, talented receiver?
We’ll have plenty of time to figure that out.