Cowboys Notes: Pickens, Williams, Clark, Clowney, Dean, Liufau
Although the Cowboys placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on George Pickens, they should not exactly be worried about someone poaching him. An offer sheet is seen as highly unlikely, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. An unmatched franchise tag offer sheet would result in two first-rounders coming back to Dallas. Pickens’ standout 2025 season notwithstanding, he would not fetch that in a trade. While a tag-and-trade scenario has been mentioned here — as the Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb on a $34MM-per-year extension — the team looks set to retain its high-profile WR2 for 2026.
“We couldn’t take the chance on losing him,” executive VP Stephen Jones said, via AllDLLS.com’s Clarence Hill. “George was fired up, excited. He said I don’t want to play anywhere but with the Cowboys. That’s what we suspected. It was all good.”
Jerry Jones spoke with Pickens by phone from the Combine following the tag, per Hill. Pickens, 25, cannot be fined for skipping minicamp or training camp workouts until he signs his $28.3MM franchise tender. The Cowboys are a staggering $56MM-plus over the cap after tagging Pickens, but they will be able to restructure contracts — including Lamb, Dak Prescott, DaRon Bland and Osa Odighizuwa — to create considerable room ahead of free agency.
Here is the latest from around Dallas:
- Another way to create some cap space would be extending Kenny Clark or Quinnen Williams. The Clark-Odighizuwa-Williams trio is set to count a whopping $63.9MM against the Cowboys’ 2026 cap, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris notes the team is in discussions to improve that situation this week. Clark is due an $11MM roster bonus March 13, but Harris adds he is unlikely to be traded, pointing to an extension being in play. Clark is in the final year of a three-year, $66MM Packers-designed deal — one shipped to Dallas in the Micah Parsons trade — and going into an age-31 season. The Cowboys are not expected to deal a player from their three-DT logjam, with new DC Christian Parker exploring ways to maximize it. If one of the DTs is to be moved, though, Harris points to Clark being the top departure candidate.
- In December, a second Jadeveon Clowney Cowboys contract was in play. With Parker now running the defense, Clowney’s Dallas future appears foggier. Stephen Jones confirmed (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) no talks with the free agent-to-be have taken place. “We’re gonna work through with [Parker]. A lot of it will happen this coming week, in terms of the type of player (we’re looking for),” Jones said. “We’re gonna continue to have those talks, and then we’ll make final decisions on who we think will be productive in this particular system.” Clowney, 33 in April, has played for seven teams in 12 NFL seasons. The former No. 1 overall pick tallied 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss — his most TFLs since his 2018 Houston finale — as a bright spot on a bad Dallas defense.
- With Parker coming over from Philadelphia, some Eagles could be in play to follow him. The Cowboys should be expected to pursue Nakobe Dean, Hill adds. Parker and Dean overlapped for two seasons, and the latter is one of the top ILBs available. Dean’s injury history will make it unlikely he competes with Devin Lloyd or Quay Walker prices on this year’s market, but the former third-round pick should fare decently in free agency. Although Dean wants to stay in Philly, the Eagles paid Zack Baun and using a first-round pick on Jihaad Campbell last year. That makes Dean likely to relocate soon. The Cowboys have a clear need at linebacker, having cut trade pickup Logan Wilson this week. DeMarvion Overshown is also in a contract year.
- As Parker prepares to install a 3-4 defense, Marist Liufau will change positions. The off-ball linebacker is moving to a 3-4 OLB role, Machota adds. A 2024 third-round pick, Liufau has made 14 starts in two seasons.
Stephen Jones: Cowboys Will Place Franchise Tag On George Pickens
George Pickens may well have been the top free agent in the NFL had he reached the open market next month. As expected, though, that will not take place. 
Pickens has long loomed as a franchise tag candidate, and the Cowboys have a history of tagging players to prevent free agent departures. Dallas, to no surprise, will go down that route once again in 2026. Executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed on Monday (via NFL Network’s Judy Battista) Pickens will be tagged shortly.
“We always want guys here,” Jones added (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). “We’ve franchised players before, obviously we want him here working with the team. It will work itself out in the coming weeks.”
The franchise tag for receivers is projected to cost $28.82MM in 2026, making it the most expensive one-year tender at any position other than quarterback. The Cowboys already have massive deals on the books in the form of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, and their offense recently added another increased cost. Running back Javonte Williams secured a raise with his newest Dallas contract, one which should nevertheless leave room for Pickens to be retained.
Acquired via trade last offseason, Pickens elected not to immediately pursue an extension upon arrival. That decision proved to be worthwhile, as the former Steeler set new career highs across the board. Pickens was among the league’s most productive wideouts, racking up 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns on 93 receptions. A premium deep threat, Pickens will only be 25 at the start of the 2026 season. Expectations will thus be high for continued high-end showings on the tag or a long-term Cowboys pact.
Dallas is currently among the teams slated to be over the cap next season. All franchise tags are guaranteed in full, and the one-year cap charge matches their value. That makes a tag more challenging to absorb than a multi-year agreement, even when one is worth a similar (or slightly higher) amount on an annual basis. Pickens has been connected to an asking price of $30MM per year on a new deal, although team and player are not very deep into the negotiating process at this point.
Questions have been raised about whether or not Pickens will report to offseason workouts in the event he is tagged without a subsequent extension agreement. Beyond voluntary work, attendance during mandatory minicamp and training camp during the summer could become a storyline as well depending on how things play out. Dallas’ preference, based on Jones’ comments, remains a pact stretching well beyond 2026. For now, the team will look to buy time by using the tag in advance of next week’s deadline.
2026 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates
We are now in Year 34 of the franchise tag, a retention tool that came about during the same offseason in which full-fledged free agency spawned. The NFL salary cap is rising at a rate allowing teams to hammer out more extensions than in previous periods. That has helped dilute free agency talent pools. This led to a 2025 landscape in which only two players — Tee Higgins and Trey Smith — received the franchise tag. The cap, which stood at $279.2MM in 2025, is expected to rise beyond $301MM this year.
This year’s free agent class looks to feature only one tag lock, but a handful of players make sense as candidates to be kept off the market. An antiquated NFL system regarding positional classifications also affects this year’s free agency crop, as a couple of high-end UFAs-to-be (Tyler Linderbaum, Devin Lloyd) would likely be kept off the market if the league modernized how it sorted positions with regards to tag prices.
Teams who use the franchise or transition tag have until July 15 to complete an extension; otherwise, negotiations cannot restart until after the 2026 season. The transition tag does not bring any compensation back for an unmatched offer sheet, but the two-first-rounder component associated with a franchise tag has not been especially relevant in ages. Although offer sheets have come out in previous eras (Sean Gilbert and Dan Wilkinson signed unmatched offers in the 1990s), clubs avoid these in fear of an unmatched proposal requiring two first-round picks to be sent to the tagging team.
The tag window opens at 3pm CT today. With clubs having until 3pm CT on March 3 to apply tags, here is who may be cuffed:
Likely tag recipients
George Pickens, WR (Cowboys)
Projected tag cost: $28.82MM
The Cowboys have regularly turned to the tag over the past decade. They cuffed DeMarcus Lawrence in 2018 and ’19 before locking down Dak Prescott in 2020 and ’21. The latter Prescott tag was procedural, as the quarterback used the threat of a lofty second tag number hitting Dallas’ cap sheet as leverage toward a player-friendly extension — one that laid the groundwork for his 2024 player-friendly extension. The Cowboys then kept Dalton Schultz (2022) and Tony Pollard (’23) off the market. After two years without unholstering their tag, the Cowboys appear all set to prevent Pickens from reaching free agency.
Acquiring Pickens in a May 2025 trade with the Steelers — which featured a 2026 third-round pick as the top asset going back to Pittsburgh –Dallas reaped immediate benefits from that swap. Pickens, 24, smashed his career-high receiving mark with 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. That booked the former second-round pick his first Pro Bowl honor; more impressively, Pickens was named a second-team All-Pro. The mercurial ex-Steeler WR1 was more than 300 receiving yards clear of CeeDee Lamb for the Cowboys’ receiving lead; even though Lamb missed three games, Pickens’ per-game average (84.1) better Lamb’s (76.9).
A tag surfaced on the radar here in mid-November, and momentum has steadily built for Pickens to follow in Dez Bryant‘s footsteps as a Cowboy wideout being kept off the market. It will take a near-Saints-level odyssey for the Cowboys to create sufficient cap space for a Pickens tag and reasonable spending room; they are projected to be more than $30MM (per OverTheCap) north of the 2026 salary ceiling, but enough smoke has emerged here — after Pickens fit the tag profile upon arrival — to make it safe to expect this outcome.
The Steelers shipped out Pickens in part because of reliability concerns, but the 6-foot-3 playmaker outperformed — with a considerable QB upgrade in Prescott — his previous work. With Lamb tied to a $34MM-per-year deal and Prescott on an NFL-record $60MM-AAV extension, the Cowboys are far from certain to extend Pickens. A tag-and-trade play has surfaced as a possibility, but with negotiations not having begun as of early February, expect the Cowboys to use the tag to at least buy themselves more time on their ultra-talented WR2.
On tag radar:
Breece Hall, RB (Jets)
Projected tag cost: $14.54MM
The Chiefs offered a fourth-round pick for Hall at the deadline, but the Jets held onto their starting running back after having asked for at least a third-rounder. Hall denied a report he was seeking a New York exit — after the blockbuster deals involving Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams — but he could have a chance to explore his value on the open market soon. The Jets, however, have spoken highly of the 1,000-yard rusher. The tag has surfaced as a possibility.
Hall, 24, is more than two years younger than Etienne. He will thus command more in free agency. The former second-round pick is also more than three years removed from the ACL tear that sidetracked his rookie season. The Jets waited on a Hall extension, keeping him on his rookie contract while giving Gardner and Garrett Wilson big-ticket deals, but Aaron Glenn has spoken highly of the Iowa State alum.
Gang Green wants to retain Hall. The easiest way for that to happen would be to extend his negotiating window via the tag. A $12MM-per-year offer could await the fifth-year player, making a tag logical. If the Jets were to place the transition tag on Hall, it would cost them a projected $11.73MM. They would receive no compensation in the event of an unmatched offer sheet, thus allowing another team to dictate the contract structure a la the Packers’ Kyle Fuller offer sheet in 2018.
The Jets saw Hall sidekick Braelon Allen miss much of the season, but the former Joe Douglas-era fourth-round pick remains signed through 2027. Allen gives the Jets some protection against a Hall exit, with a mid-round 2027 compensatory pick possible as well. But Hall is a dynamic RB that will be an attractive FA commodity if unattached come March 9. The Jets have a big decision to make over the next two weeks.
Trey Hendrickson, DE (Bengals)
Projected tag cost: $34.8MM
The defensive end tag is projected to come in at $27.32MM, but because Hendrickson was attached to a $29MM salary (following a late-summer raise), he is the rare tag candidate to whom the 120% rule would apply. As PFR’s glossary indicates, “the amount of the one-year offer is determined by a formula that includes the salary cap figures and the non-exclusive franchise salaries at the player’s position for the previous five years. Alternately, the amount of the one-year offer can be 120% of the player’s previous salary, if that amount is greater.” In Hendrickson’s case, it would be.
Cowboys Expected To Tag WR George Pickens; Sides Have Mutual Extension Interest, But Tag-And-Trade Possible
FEBRUARY 8: Recent reporting has suggested that, whether he plays on the franchise tag or on a new, multiyear contract, Pickens will remain in Dallas for at least 2026. But it is still possible that 2025 may have been Pickens’ only season with the Cowboys.
While confirming that the club will slap Pickens with the franchise tag, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) says the team could explore a tag-and-trade scenario. Such a move would obviously weaken the Cowboys’ WR corps but would represent a good value proposition considering they would likely recoup a better draft pick than the third-rounder they dealt to the Steelers to acquire Pickens last year. Plus, it would keep a second high-end receiver contract off the books and allow Dallas to reinvest elsewhere.
Like Parsons, Pickens is represented by agent David Mulugheta, whose exclusion from the Jones-Parsons negotiations was a contributing factor in the trade that sent the star pass rusher to the Packers. Rapoport and others have speculated that Mulugheta’s presence is a wrinkle that could complicate extension talks between Pickens and the Cowboys.
FEBRUARY 7: George Pickens‘ stellar showing in 2025 has no doubt provided a major boost to his free agent stock. A trip to the open market continues to look unlikely, however.
The Cowboys have a history of using the franchise tag, and applying it to Pickens has long loomed as a possibility for the 2026 offseason. Signs continue to point in the direction of the one-year tender being used in this case. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Dallas is indeed expected to tag Pickens.
Franchise tag values have not been finalized for 2026 at this point, but a relatively narrow range regarding next year’s salary cap recently emerged. The tag price for receivers is currently set to check in at nearly $29MM. That figure will be guaranteed if/when Pickens receives the tag. That would of course leave the door open to negotiations on a long-term deal.
Both sides in this case have been mentioned as willing to explore a deal lasting beyond 2026 based on the success of Pickens’ first Cowboys season. According to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, there is a “mutual interest” for an extension to be worked out. Harris notes Pickens’ issues with tardiness for team meetings – something which became a talking point during his three-year Steelers tenure – carried over to Dallas at times during the 2025 season. Owner Jerry Jones downplayed the matter during an interview with Harris, though, and attention will increasingly turn to the matter of contract talks.
It was confirmed earlier this week the Cowboys have yet to begin extension negotiations with Pickens’ camp. Dallas has a well-documented history under Jones when it comes to high-profile talks taking longer than many feel they should. The Micah Parsons episode of 2025 was an extreme example of how things can spiral over time when neither side budges during an extended period. In the case of Pickens, a decision on the franchise tag will need to made by March 3.
“I’m talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him,” Jones said of the 24-year-old (via the Cowboys’ website). “He’s better than, as far as what he contributed to our team, showing the potential that he could contribute. I’m looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy a long time.”
The receiver market topped $40MM per season last year when Ja’Marr Chase signed his Bengals extension. He and Justin Jefferson comfortably lead the way in terms of guaranteed money at the position. Pickens is a candidate for a massive raise beginning in 2026 no matter what, but a long-term deal would ensure far greater earnings than the $8.78MM the former second-round pick collected on his rookie pact. A new contract averaging at least $30MM annually was the aim for Pickens and his camp when he arrived in Dallas and elected not to pursue an extension right away.
That decision is set to pay off. Pickens enjoyed a career year in 2025, securing a top-eight finish leaguewide in receptions (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine). Based on his age and instant chemistry with quarterback Dak Prescott, Pickens profiles as a logical candidate for a major investment. On the other hand, Dallas already has one monster WR pact on the books in the form of CeeDee Lamb. He and Prescott are set to represent substantial cap charges on offense for years to come.
The Cowboys have a number of other key decisions to make with their other pending free agents (such as running back Javonte Williams, with whom the team has been in contact). Among the easiest ones Dallas faces, however, is using the tag to keep Pickens from departing. Players who receive the tender have until July 15 to agree to a long-term contract and avoid playing out the season on the tag.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
Cowboys, WR George Pickens Have Not Held Contract Talks
George Pickens enjoyed a highly productive debut season with the Cowboys. He is on track for free agency at the moment, although the franchise tag looms as an option for Dallas to prevent a departure. 
The alternative of a long-term contract remains one the team has shown interest in. As things currently stand, however, there is considerable progress still to be made on the negotiation front. Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News confirms no contract talks have taken place yet with Pickens’ camp.
Acquired via trade from the Steelers last offseason, Pickens quickly made it clear he was comfortable playing out the 2025 season without an extension in hand. As Watkins notes, a second contract averaging at least $30MM annually was the target before the start of the campaign. Pickens certainly helped his earning potential by setting new career highs in several categories.
The former second-rounder finished eighth in the NFL in receptions (93), third in yards (1,429) and tied for fourth in touchdowns (nine). Pickens will thus have a very strong case for joining the $30MM-per-year club at the WR position. There are currently nine receiver contracts with an average annual value at or above that figure; Ja’Marr Chase‘s Bengals extension tops the market at $40.25MM per season. He and Justin Jefferson (Vikings) are the only two wideouts whose contracts contained more guarantees at signing than the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb commitment.
The investment made in Lamb (four years, $136MM) in the summer of 2024 obviously represents a challenge for the Cowboys as they plan out future spending on offense. Having Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott on the books for years to come is something which must be weighed by Dallas. The team enjoyed a strong showing from running back Javonte Williams, and to little surprise a new Cowboys pact will be sought out in his case prior to free agency. Talks with Williams have taken place.
Pickens is represented by Athletes First, the agency led by David Mulugheta which also has Micah Parsons as a client. Direct negotiations between Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did not yield the desired results last offseason, but Jones expects to speak directly with Pickens this spring. It will be interesting to see how that plays out once negotiations begin.
The franchise tag for receivers is projected to cost roughly $28.82MM next season. Teams have until March 3 to apply the tag. That comes just before the onset of free agency and the start of the new league year. Before that point, updates on the Pickens situation will be worth watching for closely.
Cowboys Hope To Keep George Pickens, Javonte Williams; Team Has Met With Williams
Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens and running back Javonte Williams were among the top performers on one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses in 2025. With Pickens and Williams now a few weeks from hitting free agency, the team unsurprisingly wants to retain both players.
“Obviously, there’s guys that we want to keep from last year,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “Whether it’s George Pickens or it’s Javonte [Williams], those are all guys that play into the free agency picture.”
The Cowboys and Pickens’ camp have not met yet this offseason, according to Harris, but Jones revealed the team “has certainly visited with Javonte.”
The Cowboys and Williams are aiming for a multiyear agreement, per Harris. That may be more realistic than a long-term arrangement with Pickens, who will be the No. 1 receiver available if he reaches the open market. After the former Steeler ranked top 10 in the NFL in receptions (93; eighth), yards (1,429; third) and touchdowns (nine; eighth) in his first season as a Cowboy, a contract worth upward of $30MM per year may be in the offing.
The Cowboys, who must address a defense that ranked among the dregs of the league this season, already have a lot of money tied up in wideout CeeDee Lamb. With Lamb making $34MM per annum, the Cowboys may be hesitant or unable to authorize a second mega-contract for a receiver. If a multiyear pact isn’t in the cards in the coming weeks, they’ll have the option of slapping the less expensive franchise tag on Pickens by March 3 (he’ll turn 25 the next day).
While the tag would still be costly (around $28MM), there’s a “strong belief” the Cowboys will take that route, Todd Archer of ESPN writes. That jibes with multiple reports that came out during the season. Tagging Pickens would give the Cowboys the option of keeping him for another year, trading him or signing him to a longer deal by the July 15 deadline.
The tag won’t be on the table for Williams, but the soon-to-be 26-year-old is in far better position than he was when he hit free agency last March.
After Williams rushed for just 513 yards on 3.7 per carry in 2024, his second full season since suffering ACL and LCL tears in 2022, the ex-Bronco inked a one-year, $3MM guarantee with the Cowboys. The move couldn’t have worked out much better for either side. Williams started in all 16 appearances and put up personal bests in carries (252), yards (1,201), YPC (4.8) and touchdowns (13; 11 rushing, two receiving).
On the heels of a career year, Williams is hoping to cash in, Clarence Hill of All City DLLS relays. If Williams doesn’t re-up with the Cowboys before free agency opens March 11, he’ll be part of an unsigned class of running backs that could also include Kenneth Walker, Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, J.K. Dobbins, Rachaad White and ex-Cowboy Rico Dowdle, among others.
Jerry Jones Anticipates Direct Negotiations With Cowboys WR George Pickens
The Micah Parsons saga dominated headlines throughout the 2025 offseason. The starting point to the tension between team and player in that case was in-person talks between Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Jones’ relationship with agent David Mulugheta – or lack thereof when it came to negotiating a Parsons extension – became a major talking point through to the trade sending Parsons to Green Bay. Once that blockbuster deal had been worked out, attention quickly turned to the fact Mulugheta also represents wideout George Pickens. The former Steeler has enjoyed a stellar debut season in Dallas, setting him up for a notable payday.
Pickens looms as a strong candidate to receive the franchise tag. Applying the tag would ensure he cannot reach the open market but it would also no doubt pave the way for negotiations on a long-term pact. Mulugheta figures to play a role on that front, but the possibility exists for another round of direct owner-player talks as well. Jones confirmed as much during his latest appearance on 105.3 The Fan.
“I don’t know,” Jones said (via Tommy Yarish of the team’s website) when asked about negotiating with Pickens in person. “We’ll see how it goes. Probably both, but I certainly expect to be speaking with George.”
Of course, it is not unheard of in the NFL for players to discuss extensions directly with a team’s general manager. Jones holds that title as well, and he has a long track record of working out contracts with little or no involvement from a player’s agent in certain instances. The Pickens case will be one to watch closely given not only his earning potential but also the tension which arose during the Parsons negotiations stemming from Jones’ insistence on keeping Mulugheta on the sidelines.
Pickens enters Week 18 ranked third in the NFL with 1,420 receiving yards and tied for fourth with nine touchdowns. A year spent on the tag would see him earn roughly $28MM, and a lengthy pact would likely carry a larger price tag. The nature of negotiations will thus be something to watch, especially if it includes a significant role for Pickens himself.
Cowboys Comfortable Using Franchise Tag On George Pickens?
Thursday marked a rare down night in terms of production for George Pickens. His debut season with the Cowboys has overwhelmingly been a success, and a major financial windfall is expected.
No known talks on a long-term deal have taken place yet, which is an understandable stance from both sides. Pickens remains on track for free agency at this point, although it remains to be seen if he will reach the open market. A recent report indicated the Cowboys would be willing to use the franchise tag to retain Pickens for 2026.
Tagging the Georgia product will cost roughly $28MM for next year. Dallas would need to take on that figure as a cap charge unless a multi-year pact could later be worked out. In spite of that, ESPN’s Todd Archer and Jeremy Fowler write the Cowboys do not appear to be “afraid” of the cost of applying the tag in this case. Dallas has taken that route several teams over the years, and it would come as little surprise if ensuring Pickens remains in place were to be a major 2026 priority.
Of course, a long-term deal close to the top of the receiver market could be the target from Pickens’ camp if his career year finishes on a high note. Nine receivers are attached to an AAV of $30MM or more, and the former second-rounder could certainly look to join that group. Pickens has been a focal point for the Cowboys on offense this year, averaging 15.1 yards per reception and scoring eight touchdowns.
That production will set him up for a major raise compared to his rookie contract in one way or another. Still, the Cowboys could be hesitant about a long-term commitment in this case. Pickens drew criticism for off-the-field matters like punctuality during his tenure with the Steelers, and it appears they have followed him to Dallas. Per the ESPN report, the 24-year-old has been fined by the Cowboys for being late at times this season.
Overall, the matter is not considered a major issue, with quarterback Dak Prescott‘s leadership cited as a factor for why Pickens has not been involved in any controversies so far for Dallas. Provided that remains the case down the stretch, team and player will be willing to negotiate a big-ticket contract. Things would certainly become complicated in the event of a tag – given the fact it could lead to absences during the spring and training camp – but for now that looks to be a path the Cowboys are fully prepared to go down.
George Pickens Expected To Seek Long-Term Deal; Cowboys Likely To Use Franchise Tag?
George Pickens‘ first season with the Cowboys has exceeded expectations. His first trip to free agency will be something to watch closely as a result, in the event he manages to reach the open market.
After another productive game yesterday, Pickens sits second in the NFL in receiving yards (1,142), third in touchdowns (eight) and seventh in catches (73). A strong desire exists on the part of the Cowboys to keep the 24-year-old in the fold, but doing so will of course require a major financial investment. Pairing Pickens with fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb is something owner Jerry Jones remains open to.
During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer), “at this time we’ve got two No. 1 receivers and that’s just exceptional right at the time when – guess what – our quarterback is probably the best he’s ever been and there’s more there.”
Indeed, Dak Prescott has enjoyed a highly productive campaign in 2025. He and Lamb are attached to big-ticket contracts, leading many to wonder if fitting a Pickens one into the Cowboys’ financial plans will be feasible. To no surprise, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano write Pickens will be seeking a long-term pact this spring. No talks on a Cowboys extension have taken place, but it is clear at this point any multi-year commitment will move the former second-rounder near the top of the WR market in terms of compensation.
The alternative to a long-term Pickens contract would be the franchise tag. The ESPN duo as well as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport note (video link) the tag is a distinct possibility in this case. Using the one-year tender on Pickens would set him up for roughly $28MM in 2026 compensation. It would also prevent the Georgia product from being able to gauge interest from free agent suitors.
Jones and the Cowboys have not been shy about using the franchise tag over the years, so it would come as little surprise if that were to be the outcome in Pickens’ case. Dallas has won three straight games to move to 6-5-1 on the year. If the Cowboys manage to reach the playoffs, a strong finish from Pickens and the offense will no doubt prove to be a major factor.
That could help his case for a monster contract from the Cowboys or another team. For now, though, the franchise tag looms as an option to at least ensure Pickens will spend two seasons in Dallas.
Jerry Jones: ‘Of Course’ Cowboys Want To Keep George Pickens
The Cowboys rallied from 21 points down to pull off a 24-21 win over the NFC East rival Eagles on Sunday. Wide receiver George Pickens was among the driving forces behind the team’s stunning comeback. The first-year Cowboy hauled in nine of Dak Prescott‘s passes for the second game in a row, racked up 146 yards, and scored a touchdown.
After a productive three-year run in Pittsburgh, which traded him in May, Pickens has found another gear with a change of scenery. The 24-year-old ranks second in the NFL in yards (1,054), third in TDs (a career-high eight), and eighth in catches (67, also a personal best). With Pickens scheduled to reach free agency in the offseason, he’s enjoying a breakout year at the right time.
While a trip to the open market would prove lucrative for Pickens, odds are he won’t get there. Even if Dallas and Pickens are unable to reach a long-term agreement before free agency begins in March, it seems likely the team will place the franchise tag on the wideout.
The tag would cost the Cowboys around $28MM, but it appears they’d be willing to make a longer commitment. The goal is to keep Pickens in the fold beyond 2026, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.
The two sides have not begun contract talks, according to Rapoport, but a tagged Pickens would be eligible for an extension until July 2026. That would give team and player a few months to work something out. The Cowboys haven’t used the tag on a receiver since Dez Bryant in March 2015. They ended up extending Bryant that July.
Neither Pickens nor his representatives at Athletes First would be thrilled with the tag, per Rapoport, who notes trading him for picks could be an option for the Cowboys if they can’t extend him. They’d prefer to avoid that, though.
Notably, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and one of Pickens’ agents, David Mulugheta, clashed during contract negotations for Micah Parsons last summer. After a long and contentious standoff, the Cowboys wound up trading Parsons to the Packers in a late-August blockbuster. The history between Jones and Mulugheta may not bode well on paper, though team sources told Rapoport it won’t stand in the way of a potential Pickens deal.
After watching Pickens help the Cowboys improve to 5-5-1 and stay in the playoff hunt in Week 12, Jones lavished praise on the star pass catcher, saying (via Jon Machota of The Athletic): “We are proud we’ve got him and I don’t know of anyone that has helped his team any more to win this year.”
When asked if he wants Pickens to stay with the Cowboys in 2026, Jones left no doubt.
“Of course, of course we are proud to have him and I don’t even want to play games with it, we’d love to have him on the team,” Jones said.
The Cowboys already have one massive receiver contract on their books after Jones authorized a four-year, $136MM extension for CeeDee Lamb in August 2024. Lamb is one of 10 receivers averaging upward of $30MM per year. Pickens is making a case to join him on an enormous multiyear pact of his own. At the very least, Pickens will approach the $30MM figure next season if he plays under the tag.