And there it is. The first step in the Dallas Cowboys keeping George Pickens on the roster in 2026 is reported to have been made already, with Jerry Jones and Co. opting to place the franchise tag on their 2025 breakout star.
The tag is a one-year, $28 million contract, a hefty sum by franchise tag standards, but probably still well below the market value for Pickens and provides no guarantee that Pickens will play in Dallas next season. But it is a strong first step from the team, when it happens.
The Cowboys can’t officially tag Pickens until February 17, with a March 3 deadline as the last possible date to make the move.
The fact that the Cowboys will make the decision to tag Picks is not a huge surprise, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes that the move is already set in stone: “The Dallas Cowboys are expected to place their franchise tag on Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens, league sources told ESPN. … The Cowboys will be able to apply the franchise tag to Pickens anytime between Feb. 17 and March 3, but the tag undoubtedly is coming, if for no other reason than to serve as a placeholder for the start of negotiations designed to keep him in Dallas.”
Cowboys Had Hinted That Franchise Tag Was Coming
This week at the Super Bowl, Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones had already hinted that the franchise tag was coming for Pickens, telling a small group of local reporters that he did not think Pickens was “fragile” enough to be offended by the tag.
Via the Dallas Morning News: “Obviously, if you franchise somebody, they’re not getting exactly where they want to be. That’s the way that works. Would I be more concerned with him that I would be anybody? The answer is not at all. To me, that’s what we’ve seen and what he’s shown.”
But in saying that, Jones does acknowledge that players do not like the tag, and it is easy to understand why Pickens would fall into that bucket–he wants a long-term deal after having put up a career-best year with 1,429 yards receiving and 93 catches. Only two other Cowboys receivers (CeeDee Lamb and Michael Irvin) have ever reached 1,400 yards receiving.
According to Spotrac, Pickens’ market value is four years and $122 million, and that’s surely the kind of contract the Pickens wants. That’s why the tag is not necessarily ideal for him.
George Pickens Could Be in Dallas ‘A Long Time’
But the key is that the Cowboys now have put their claim in on Pickens, and even with the tag in place, the sides can work out a new, long-term deal. Ideally, it would not take a long time to get done, because the team would like to have Pickens in for offseason workouts–if he is on the tag without a new deal, he could hold out and skip the team activities this spring.
The Cowboys are hopeful, though, that something can get done in a reasonable amount of time.
Said Jones, “I’m talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him. He’s better than, as far as what he contributed to our team, showing the potential that he could contribute. I’m looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy a long time.”
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