FRISCO, Texas — In a story for ESPN called “NFL players, coaches, GMs under the most pressure in 2026,” Bill Barnwell named Dallas Cowboys star George Pickens.
Pickens signed his non-exclusive franchise tag in late April.
After the July 15 deadline passed without a multi-year deal, league rules dictated that he must play out the 2026 season before contract talks can resume next winter.
“Prove it. That was the mantra for Pickens heading into the 2025 season, after the Steelers clearly decided that they didn’t want to move forward with their mercurial wideout on a significant contract extension,” Barnwell wrote. “Pittsburgh dealt Pickens to the Cowboys for a third-round pick, and with a major upgrade at quarterback, he produced a career season. Pickens set career highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine), earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
“Prove it again. The Cowboys also weren’t willing to sign Pickens to a long-term contract after the season, instead using the franchise tag to retain his services on a one-year, $27.3 million pact. Were the Cowboys concerned about their ability to keep Pickens motivated? Were they unwilling to commit significant money to a second receiver given what they’re already paying Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb? Or did they just not believe that Pickens’ 2025 season represented what he’ll do moving forward?
“Some combination of the three might be true, but if Pickens can produce a repeat season, it won’t matter. The Cowboys spent heavily to fix their defense this offseason, and they might not be interested in a second franchise tag for Pickens in 2027, which would cost more than $32 million. Hitting unrestricted free agency as a 26-year-old wide receiver could be a massive opportunity for Pickens, who would potentially be the best player available.”
Pickens Was Amazing In 2025
In his first season with the Cowboys, Pickens was nothing short of breathtaking. He finished with 93 receptions for 1,429 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns en route to making his first Pro Bowl.
Pickens’ 1,429 receiving yards in 2025 were the most by any player in their first season with the Cowboys. His campaign included five games with 100-plus receiving yards.
Pickens enters this season with 267 receptions for 4,270 receiving yards and 21 receiving touchdowns with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cowboys. He played in two playoff games with Pittsburgh in 2023 and 2024, putting up 10 catches for 137 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
Pickens and Co. begin the 2026 season against the New York Giants. Pickens had six catches for 77 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown against the Giants last season.
‘The Guy Wants To Play Football’
Rather than letting his contract uncertainty linger, Pickens immediately set the tone for the offense in training camp in Southern California, pairing high-flying highlights with steady practice intensity.
“Going into training camp, playing on the (franchise) tag, the guy wants to play football and he wants to be around his teammates,” Prescott said. “You just get a vision of that every day and what that looks like when he gets on the field. He’s able to just fully be George, bringing the energy, making the catches, making the plays, obviously with what he brings to this offense he showed last year.”
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was impressed with Pickens’ play in training camp as well, a strong sign that the WR won’t be a distraction this season despite not getting a long-term deal.
“He was as dialed in in meetings as I’ve seen him since he’s been here, just following along, questions,” Schottenheimer said. “I think you’re going to see a very motivated George Pickens going into the season. And I think that’s great news for us and maybe bad news for the rest of the league.”
Will 2026 be Pickens’ final year in Dallas? Only time will tell.
Jerry Jones didn’t want to pay Micah Parsons last year and traded the superstar to the Green Bay Packers. It’s possible Pickens could be on a new team in 2027 since Dallas may have trouble paying Prescott, Lamb and Pickens top dollar.
