The Cowboys will need to figure out what, exactly, they plan to do with their open defensive coordinator position as they plot a course to improve in 2026. But there will be other very important decisions lingering, too, and while the staff on the sidelines matters, the players on the field are where the games truly will be won or lost. And when it comes to on-field decisions heading into the next season, what the Cowboys will do with star receiver George Pickens matters most.
Pickens, of course, was unloaded by the Steelers last year after reports that he had trouble with work ethic, discipline and staying out of coach Mike Tomlin’s doghouse. The Cowboys gave up a third-round pick for him, and Pickens went on to have a career year, with 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
When Jerry Jones met with the Cowboys media on Wednesday for his season wrap-up press conference, with VP Stephen Jones and coach Brian Schottenheimer, the future of Pickens was one of the top subjects raised.
Jerry Jones: ‘Strong Stuff’ From George Pickens
Jones praised Pickens, who did not show with the Cowboys any of the same issues he often had with the Steelers. With only a handful of exceptions, Pickens was engaged and focused, and put up those big numbers.
“As much as we think he is exceptional as a player, his love of the game and his passion about the game is unquestionable, that’s strong stuff,” Jones said.
It would behoove the Cowboys to move quickly to re-sign Pickens, because his market is only going to grow the longer Jones waits to get something done. He moves notoriously slow on getting new deals done and was not tipping his hand on timing.
“Those are the kinds of things, what’s sooner, what’s later, how bad do you want me, does that mean that you should have been at the doorstep the other night?” Jones said. “I don’t want to get into those kinds of assessments of how much we are trying. He is an outstanding player. We don’t have some of the issues we might have had, and we are very proud.”
GettyDallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, looking on ahead of the game against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 17, 2025.
Cowboys Have Free-Agent Options
The Cowboys do have different options with Pickens, including putting the $28 million franchise tag on him, which would allow Dallas to keep him around for another year without a long-term commitment. Pickens surely would like a multi-year extension, but the tag would not be a bad deal for him, giving him a chance to back up what he accomplished this year and earn a top-dollar wide-receiver contract.
And Jones said the Cowboys–who rarely make a splash with free-agent signings–would be open to making a move this year.
“I don’t want sound, by saying we’re going to be active in free agency, then disappoint because we weren’t,” Jones said. “But if we have an opportunity in free agency, and if we have more than one opportunity, we’re gonna take advantage of the fact that we’re in better shape today to play free agency than we thought we might be. So we’re gonna use it. We’re not going to save it in our back pocket. We’re gonna use it to where our advantages are.”
Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Addresses George Pickens Free-Agency Plans