The Dallas Cowboys wasted little time this offseason before placing the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens, ensuring that the All-Pro wideout could not reach the open market. The focus now turns to how long he'll stay in Dallas and whether or not he'll stay this summer.
Regarding this situation, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote that he believed it was "likely" for Pickens to eventually sign a one-year franchise tender and play the 2026 NFL season as a contract year.
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After being acquired by Dallas last offseason, Pickens enjoyed the best season of his career. The 6-foot-3 wide receiver earned second-team All-Pro honors after setting personal bests in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine). He had five 100-yard games and scored a touchdown in eight different contests.
Pickens, who turned 25 in early March, played in all 17 games and largely shrugged off concerns about his maturity and consistency. He proved he could produce both as a No. 1 receiver when CeeDee Lamb was sidelined and as a secondary target when his fellow All-Pro wideout was on the field.
Dallas will explore contract negotiations with him this summer, but it could prove complicated. The Jackson Smith-Njigba contract extension ($42.15 million average annual value) and Puka Nakua's impending extension will push the prices of wide receivers even higher.
While Pickens will likely play on the $27.298 million franchise tag, which is fully guaranteed, there is also hope he could stick around during training camp and this saga could extend into August. He will almost certainly suit up for the Cowboys next season, but there remains a lot of doubt about his long-term future in Dallas.
