The Dallas Cowboys have used their franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens, but it does not sound like he has any intention of actually playing on it.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported from the NFL Combine Friday that it is unlikely Pickens will report to the team without a long-term contract. That means the wide receiver is not expected to sign the tag.
“I do not expect to see Pickens in the facility unless and until there is a long-term deal. Don’t expect him to sign the tag yet,” Rapoport said.
From our Combine coverage on @NFLNetwork: The #Cowboys officially franchise tagged WR George Pickens and all that it means. pic.twitter.com/FrvyRDzgaS
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 27, 2026
Rapoport also noted that it is not impossible that another team might come in with a big trade offer for Pickens and sign him to a long-term deal instead. That has been suggested before as well.
In other words, the Pickens situation is far from resolved, though this cannot come as a huge surprise to the Cowboys. They essentially took this step to ensure he would not hit the open market, and it gives them several months to try to work out a long-term deal with their standout wide receiver.
Pickens is coming off a breakout year in Dallas. He caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, and should command a significant salary from the Cowboys or someone else.
