Since Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens signed the team’s franchise tag offer back in April, in something of a surprise move since Pickens and the team still technically had time to negotiate a long-term deal, the team’s message has been consistent. Sure, Pickens might sit out the offseason program’s voluntary parts–the workouts, the OTAs–but he was fully expected to be present and accounted for when it comes to the mandatory portions of the offseason.
That would the mandatory minicamp that opens next week. And it would be, of course, training camp, which will open next month in Oxnard, California.
Speaking to media members last week after Dallas’ first spate of OTAs, coach Brian Schottenheimer said that Pickens was getting his work in, and had been working with quarterback Dak Prescott in the offseason. He pointed out that OTAs are voluntary, which means Pickens had not put a foot wrong by missing them.
“We haven’t discussed that but I expect he will be here,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s in a good spot. But I know he is handling his business and missing his teammates.”
Cowboys ‘Hope’ George Pickens Attends Minicamp
On Tuesday, amid the second round of Cowboys OTAs, Schottenheimer was a bit less definitive, saying that he expects Pickens to arrive, but also saying he “hopes” his star wide receiver shows.
Certainly, the Cowboys have approached this offseason as though it will be a drama-free summer, after star players’ contract issues bogged down each of the last two training camps. Pickens wanted a long-term deal from Dallas, but the Cowboys were clear they were not going to discuss one, nudging Pickens to sign the one-year, $27.3 million franchise tag.
The assumption was that Pickens signing that deal ended the potential for drama.
As SI.com’s Albert Breer wrote: “If he’d planned to miss the minicamp to make a statement, the common-sense route to take would have been to not sign the tender until after the minicamp was complete, because then, Pickens wouldn’t be subject to fines for missing it.
“So, calling it what it is, it wouldn’t make sense to sign that tender and then incur the fines.”
Cowboys ‘Still Don’t Know’ About Minicamp
Yet here we are, still uncertain about Pickens’ intentions and his willingness to, perhaps, absorb $108K worth of fines if he misses all three days of mandatory minicamp.
As Dallas Morning News beat writer Calvin Watkins noted on Twitter/X, the Cowboys’ certainty on their expectations of Pickens’ attendance next week is wavering: “I believe the Cowboys still don’t know if George Pickens will show up for mandatory minicamp next week.”
GettyGeorge Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys
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But, on the chance that the Cowboys do see Pickens at The Star next week, the plan seems to be to take it easy with him no matter what. The Cowboys have consolidated their OTAs into the mandatory minicamp as tightly as any team in the league, and one reason is that the OTAs can almost be a warmup ground for minicamp.
Worried that Pickens is not as warm as he might need to be, the Cowboys won’t push him too hard.
Wrote Todd Archer of ESPN about Pickens: “Brian Schottenheimer said the Cowboys will be smart with how they work George Pickens into minicamp next week. While the Cowboys are confident Pickens has been working out on his own, they don’t want to give him too much for risk of injury.”
Cowboys Reveal George Pickens Plan Amid Minicamp Mystery