Stephen Jones Says Keeping George Pickens Long Term Is The ‘Ultimate Goal’ For Dallas Cowboys

OXNARD, Calif. — Executive vice president Stephen Jones said keeping George Pickens in Dallas beyond his franchise tag year is the goal for the Dallas Cowboys, though the team cannot reopen those talks until January. Jones made the comments to Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com on Monday, after Dallas agreed to terms with defensive tackle Quinnen Williams on a three-year, $105.9 million extension.

Jones said Dallas has a number of moving parts to work through and has to keep playing option quarterback with its cap situation.

“That’s the ultimate goal,” Jones said of keeping Pickens beyond two years. “So it’s just a lot of moving parts that we’ve got to obviously keep playing option quarterback and we’ll see where it takes us.”

The Williams extension put $105.9 million in new money on the books and runs through 2030. Williams was already scheduled to earn $21.75 million in 2026 and $25.5 million in 2027 before the new years were added.

Why George Pickens Cannot Sign An Extension Until January

The Cowboys placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on Pickens in March, the same day the NFL set the 2026 salary cap at $301.2 million. The tender is worth $27.298 million and is fully guaranteed. Pickens signed it April 29.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, a tagged player who has not signed a multiyear deal by the July deadline can sign only a one-year contract for that season, and that contract cannot be extended until after his team’s final regular season game. This year’s deadline passed at 4 p.m. ET on July 15. Dallas closes the regular season at the Washington Commanders in Week 18.

Pickens was the only franchise player in the league still without a long-term agreement when the deadline arrived. The other three tagged players all signed before it.

Jones had said in April that letting a player reach the season on the tag would not be new ground for the organization or the league.

“We’ve made a decision that we’re going to have George play under the franchise tag, which won’t be a first for us,” Jones said at the club’s pre-draft news conference on April 22. “So there won’t be negotiations on a long-term deal. But that’s certainly not a first for this organization and certainly won’t be a first for the league in terms of this decision as we move forward.”

What The Dallas Cowboys Have Done With Tagged Players Since 2015

The last time Dallas signed a player to an extension after tagging him for the first time was wide receiver Dez Bryant in 2015. Since then, quarterback Dak Prescott, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, tight end Dalton Schultz, and running back Tony Pollard have each played a season on the tag. Prescott and Lawrence signed long-term deals after Dallas tagged them a second time. Schultz and Pollard left in free agency.

Pickens joined the Cowboys in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers in May 2025. He caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns in 17 games in his first season in Dallas, all career highs. He was named second-team All-Pro, made his first Pro Bowl, and was the offensive MVP of the Pro Bowl Games in February.

Pickens reported to mandatory minicamp in June and said then that he did not plan to hold out of training camp. His agent is David Mulugheta.

“Like the tag and all that, it’s just football first,” Pickens said after the first day of minicamp. “So, definitely play football first, kind of like I did last year, and then worry about [the contract].”

The Cowboys hold a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday. Dallas opens the preseason at the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, Aug. 15, with kickoff at 7 p.m. CT on NFL Network.