The Dallas Cowboys are in for another expensive offseason. They are already locked in contract negotiations with a star who wants the highest salary at his position. There may also be a deadlock over the contract of another superstar coming after a year of his career.
The Cowboys have already placed the franchise tag on second-team All-Pro wide receiver George Pickens. The tag for receivers pays Pickens $27 million, well below the market rate of $40 million for superstar receivers. Pickens ranks third in the NFL with 1,429 receiving yards this season, and he will still be only 25 when the 2026 season starts.
Players generally want to avoid the franchise tag, and the same may be the case with Pickens. After all, a long-term contract at a higher rate will provide greater long-term financial security than a one-year deal below market value.
However, placing the franchise tag may not be the last we hear from the Cowboys regarding Pickens' status this offseason.
According to NFL insider Tony Pauline of Essential Sports, the Cowboys could also trade Pickens now that they have franchise-tagged him.
"New reports from the combine suggest the Cowboys could place the franchise tag on Pickens, then trade him. Pickens was officially franchise-tagged on Friday afternoon, and the team will pay him $27.3 million for the 2026 season. However, his long-term future with the team is still undecided, and the possibility of a trade still exists before the team reaches the July 15 deadline."
Tony Palin on George Pickens
The Packers used this mentality to tag and trade Davante Adams to the Raiders in 2022. However, the Cowboys have shown no signs of Pickens being available this offseason. Sure, it's a great way to create leverage, but Pickens appears destined to remain in Dallas until at least 2026.
Perhaps the Cowboys can dispel these silly rumors by getting their new superstar receiver under contract for just over the 2026 season, where he and CeeDee Lamb will form one of the NFL's best receiver tandems for years to come.
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