Though the Dallas Cowboys have more pressing problems to tend to, like finding a new defensive coordinator, a decision on George Pickens’ future looms in the horizon.

And how the Cowboys handle things with their star wide receiver will set the tone for the rest of the offseason. Will Jerry Jones change course and be proactive with getting a long-term deal done? Or will Dallas head for some drama through the franchise tag?

An annonymous NFL coach from the AFC recently shared his prediction and though it’s a concerning one, it should come as no surprise to Cowboys fans.

AFC coach expects drama between Cowboys and Pickens

In an insider intel article put together by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, a veteran AFC coach was quoted saying he doesn’t expect Pickens to be happy with a franchise tag.

“I just don’t see him, coming off the season he had, welcoming the tag with open arms,” a veteran AFC coach said, via Fowler.

Honestly, no fan who is familiar with how the Cowboys operate should be surprised. For years, the Jerry Jones-led front office has notoriously dragged its feet with every big contract extension it has faced. Remember, this is the same team that allowed quarterback Dak Prescott to play on the tag in 2020, and the same one that later allowed CeeDee Lamb and Prescott’s deals to come down to the wire in 2024 after one of the best seasons we’ve seen from either in 2023. It’s what they do.

Of course being tagged by the Cowboys wouldn’t be well received by Pickens nor his agent, David Mulugheta, who also represents Micah Parsons. These two know a tag could mean months of not knowing if Dallas will agree to a long-term deal.

And if tagged, it would only make sense for Pickens to stay away from the team as leverage to get the deal he feels like he deserves. He and his agent know a second-team All-Pro season means his value is at a career high. As Fowler indicates, a franchise tag would likely cause the Cowboys WR to prepare away from the team.

“Some around the league wonder whether he stays away from the team for a large portion of the offseason or even training camp,” Fowler wrote.

Will Cowboys change gameplan?

With this team, you have to see it to believe it. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did say earlier in the offseason that the way Prescott played in 2025 incentivized the front office to “bust the budget.” A good place to start could be an extension for Pickens. It would also help the team’s salary cap situation.

A long-term deal would be more expensive than the tag—projected to pay out $28 million—but it would also imply a lower cap hit for 2026, thus freeing cap space for free agency.

If Jones is serious about having urgency to win it all, a deal for Pickens is worth it. The shortest path toward being Super Bowl contenders in the next two to three years starts with an elite offense. Having Pickens and Lamb available for Prescott largely takes care of that.

Then again, while Jones talks about busting the budget, he also doesn’t commit himself to speaking to Mulugheta, which caused plenty of unnecessary drama in the Parsons negotiations that culminated in trading him away from the Cowboys.

Key dates ahead

For now, these will be the biggest dates of the offseason for Pickens:

• Feb. 17 – Beginning on this day, NFL clubs can designate franchise or transition players through the tag.
• Jul. 15 – Final day to agree to a long-term extension with a tagged player.

But make no mistake about it: The quicker the Cowboys get a deal done, the better for everybody. Pickens would practice with the team throughout the offseason, the front office would have more salary cap space in March compared to a tag, and everyone involved would be happier.

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