I’m sorry Cowboys fans, but here’s the truth about the latest George Pickens news
The Dallas Cowboys took over the news cycle under 24 hours away from Super Bowl LX, but here’s the truth about it.
It’s Saturday night. We’re under 24 hours away from Super Bowl LX kicking off, and I’m hanging out with family when the notification hits my phone: The Dallas Cowboys are expected to use the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
For a brief second, I kind of panic. I don’t have a computer with me, so I can’t write about this crucial update surrounding the single most important player of the Cowboys’ 2026 offseason. Another second passes, and I realize… this is as much news as saying tomorrow’s Super Bowl will have one winner and one loser.
Latest Pickens update isn’t really news
Sure, ESPN citing sources are expecting the Cowboys to franchise tag Pickens is different than us just assuming it will happen. In that sense, the update is meaningful. But it was always going to be the next step for Dallas’ front office, and all the conversations we’ve had about Pickens’ future have started with the understanding that the wide receiver will be tagged.
That, however, doesn’t necessarily mean he will play under the tag. The Cowboys can tag Pickens starting on Feb. 17, and once they do, they will have until July 15 at 4 p.m. ET to strike a long-term extension.
In other words, the tag will keep Pickens from being a free agent, and it will buy the Cowboys time to negotiate.
Every offseason, NFL teams use the tag on players they plan to extend before the regular season. I’m sorry to burst the bubble, but Saturday night’s report offers little insight into the Cowboys’ approach to Pickens. So what will?
What’s next for Cowboys, Pickens
So far, reports indicate the Cowboys and Pickens’ camp haven’t started negotiations. That isn’t a concern just yet, as Pickens’ agent David Mulugheta is known to negotiate with clubs at the NFL Scouting Combine, as Calvin Watkins from the Dallas Morning News pointed out.
When the negotiations should become a concern is if the Cowboys and Pickens fail to strike a long-term deal before the start of free agency on March 11. If Pickens is still on the franchise tag by then, he will occupy nearly $28 million in the Cowboys’ cap space, a number that would be lowered by a long-term deal. Jerry Jones is talking about “busting the budget,” and extending Pickens would be a promising sign he means it.
Concerns will increase if the Cowboys’ offseason program kicks off in the spring and Pickens isn’t signed yet, which would likely prompt him to stay away from the team’s workouts. The Cowboys witnessed firsthand what a wide receiver missing offseason workouts does to a QB-WR duo in 2024. After CeeDee Lamb held out for all of training camp, he and Dak Prescott weren’t on the same page early in the season.
Obviously, a long-term deal is the ideal solution, and the weekend’s update makes clear the extension is unlikely to happen before Feb. 17. But it doesn’t suggest a contract won’t be done before March or before training camp. Rest easy and enjoy the Super Bowl.
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