Having placed the $27.3MM franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens and the second-round restricted free agent tender on kicker Brandon Aubrey, the Cowboys are positioned to keep the pair for at least another season. A multiyear arrangement may be optimal in both cases, but there has not been any progress on either front, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports.
A productive Steeler during his first three NFL seasons, Pickens performed like a star in 2025 after joining the Cowboys via trade. The 25-year-old finished top 10 in the league in receptions (93; eighth), yards (1,429; third) and touchdowns (nine; eighth). With that in mind, it came as no surprise when the Cowboys tagged Pickens to stop him from hitting the open market unfettered. While losing Pickens to an offer sheet would entitle the Cowboys to two first-round picks, odds are heavily against a team presenting one.
The Cowboys have until July 15 to reach a multiyear deal with Pickens. Barring that, it seems likely the former second-rounder will play under the tag next season. He would become the first player to do since Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in 2024. Higgins went on to secure a four-year, $115MM extension with the Bengals last March.
Pickens has a strong argument to sign for more than Higgins, especially with the cap continuing to rise. He may eventually end up with a payday similar to teammate and fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb, who landed his own four-year pact in August 2024. Lamb sits third among receivers in total value ($136MM), guarantees ($100MM) and average annual salary ($34MM).
The 31-year-old Aubrey, meanwhile, is on track to earn $5.76MM in 2026 without a new contract. The Cowboys have tried to extend Aubrey since last summer, but they resorted to tendering him after coming up short. As Watkins notes, Aubrey’s $10MM annual asking price blows past what the Cowboys are willing to pay (a little under $7MM). However, Dallas has not lost interest in extending Aubrey, per Watkins.
Although the big-legged Aubrey has only been in the league for three years, he already has a stacked resume. The ex-soccer player has earned a Pro Bowl nod and picked up All-Pro honors in each season. Both team and player agree Aubrey deserves to surpass the Chiefs’ Harrison Butker as the league’s highest-paid kicker, but there is a clear gap in negotiations. Butker is on a four-year, $25.6MM accord with a $6.4MM average salary.
If the sides don’t find common ground, odds are still high that Aubrey will stay in Dallas next season. There is little chance another team will sign Aubrey to a record-setting contract and give up a second-rounder for a kicker.
The Cowboys best option is to let Pickens play 2026 under the tag. If he performs similar to 2025 without whining, failing to block or any other shenanigans, back to truck up for 2027. I have my doubts.