It’s not been the kind of season that most in and around the Dallas Cowboys would have expected from George Pickens, not after his brilliant 93-catch, 1,429-yard performance in 2025 and not with a potential free-agent bonanza ahead of him in 2027. Pickens has been bothered by a hamstring injury lately, but even before that, he was not putting up production at the same level he had been last year. As it stands, Pickens is on pace for a very good statistical year–83 catches for 1,132 yards–but not a great year, and not one that has been as impactful as last season had been.
Combine that with the open complaints from coach Brian Schottenheimer about Pickens’ run blocking and the challenges that the Cowboys payroll sheet presents–Dak Prescott is the second highest paid quarterback in the league, while CeeDee Lamb and Quinnen Williams are near the top of the market at their positions–and it is hard to imagine that the Cowboys will pay Pickens and keep him in Dallas long-term next offseason. Surely there will be a big NFL market for Pickens, and that might prevent a redux in Dallas.
Big Deals Due for George Pickens, Joey Porter Jr.
Pickens is, currently, on the franchise tag, a one-year, $27 million contract he agreed to in April after the Cowboys made it clear they were not going to give him a long-term deal. Pickens was not exactly happy about that–he sat out of voluntary OTAs–and even with his downturn this season, it’s still a bargain deal for the Cowboys. Pickens’ market value, per Spotrac, is $138 million over four years.
Additionally, the Cowboys also acquired cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the Steelers, a former Pickens teammate. He is due a new contract in 2027, too, and the situation for Dallas is often presented as the Cowboys either keeping Pickens or keeping Porter Jr. but not having the money to take on both players.
Cowboys Prepared to Pay Up?
In an appearance on the “House of Haymaker” podcast, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Cowboys beat reporter Nick Harris leveled a pretty eye-opening claim, though. He predicts–with some insider knowledge backing that prediction–that the Cowboys will keep both Pickens and Porter.
Pickens, he says, will get the $138 million or so the market dictates. And Porter will get a franchise tag, which is projected to be $23 million for 2027.
Said Harris: “I think it will be a long-term extension (for Pickens). And Porter gets the tag. … I think there’s already kind of been foundations to that conversation being had with Porter. Whether Porter knows it or not, I think the foundations of that conversation have already started.”
At 3-5, there would not appear to be much reason for the Cowboys to further invest in their current group. But apparently, they very well could do so, anyway.
Cowboys Predicted for Bold $138 Million George Pickens Move