It’s not always easy to get a straight answer out of Dallas Cowboys star receiver George Pickens, especially when he’s a bit uncomfortable on the subject matter of the conversation. So when he finally reported to mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, his first appearance of the offseason at the Cowboys’ workouts, he did some bobbing and weaving when meeting with the media.
Take his answers with a grain of salt, but Pickens addressed a wide range of topics at the start of the team’s minicamp, an occasion that some doubted he would actually attend. Pickens, who has stayed away from The Star since signing the one-year franchise tag contract worth $27 million, below his market value, was there, and did address a number of topics.
Probably the most encouraging for Cowboys fans was the reason Pickens gave for coming back and participating in minicamp, which was mandatory, but which he could have skipped with a $108,000 fine.
George Pickens: Cowboys Teammates Makes You ‘Not Want to Hold Out’
It was his affection for his Cowboys teammates that drove Pickens back to Frisco.
As he said: “Just the team, when I think about the team and the run we could have had, certain things in place to make something bigger. I couldn’t think about that and take that into a part of the decision to make. …
“I am here now. Like I said, the group of guys that is with the Cowboys kind of prevents you—you know guys, you are going to guys’ house, talking to Dak, still throwing with Dak, that group of guys is going to make you not want to hold out.”
George Pickens’ Agent Guided Absence
Pickens, thus, revealed some important new information in his meeting with the Cowboys media, most significant of which was that he does not plan to hold out or to hold in once the Cowboys start training camp in Oxnard late next month. He also said he has just been more or less going with the flow through this process, taking the advice of his agent, David Mulugheta of Athletes First.
He said of training camp: “Literally, you have to wait. So, I was just doing everything they put to me, I was just waiting my time to when I can come back. Whatever my agent tells me, I was going off of him. So me, personally, I have been staying connected with the guys.”
Cowboys Only Keeping Him 1 More Year?
Pickens was asked why he signed the franchise tag deal from the Cowboys, and why he did so early–just ahead of April’s draft. It was presumed at the time that Pickens signed it to facilitate a trade, but he made no mention of that being an option or his desire.
He said, “Just because when it was presented, it was presented kinda early and I just did the best they wanted me to do.”
But Pickens did say something interesting about the franchise tag deal. Some have suggested the Cowboys plan on having Pickens in uniform for only this year, and then plan to move on from him. Pickens seemed to think the same thing.
He said: “Really, it is just going out and playing. Like I say, in those situations, it is really up to them. When they presented the franchise tag, that was them telling me how many years or how long they want me to be here. Like I said, I am just here to make the best decision for the team and myself.”
The best decision might be to show up, be a good soldier, repeat last year’s success and cash in–big time–with a long-term deal in free agency next season.
Cowboys’ George Pickens Breaks Silence on Absence, Franchise Tag