The Dallas Cowboys have made their decision on the contract status of wide receiver George Pickens.
Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said Wednesday that the Pickens will play on the franchise tag in 2026, and that there will be no further negotiations on a long-term contract. Jones made it sound like the Cowboys had ultimately made the decision.
In response to a @garrettpodell question, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones says WR George Pickens will play under the franchise tag in 2026. "There won’t be negotiations on a long term deal," Jones says. The tag is $27.3 million.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) April 22, 2026
Pickens would play on a $27.3 million tag next season, though it remains to be seen how he will react to this. He has not formally signed the tag yet, so he cannot be fined if he skips offseason activities.
The Cowboys’ decision certainly leaves some uncertainty around what will happen to Pickens. From Dallas’ perspective, they may just want to see more from him, especially since there were questions about his effort late in the season. The organization has spoken highly of him and appears to want him back, though that has not stopped some trade rumors.
Pickens is coming off a breakout campaign with the Cowboys. He caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, and undoubtedly hoped to parlay that into a long-term deal this offseason.
