Unsigned beyond this year, Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens could become one of the most coveted free agents available when the market opens in March. Pickens said on Oct. 30 that he and the Cowboys had yet to discuss a new contract (via Jon Machota of The Athletic).
On the possibility of an extension, Pickens said: “That’s kinda up to what (Jerry Jones) wants to do. All I can do is perform at my best.”
If Jones and Pickens’ camp don’t reach an agreement before free agency begins, the team’s longtime owner could place the franchise tag on the Cowboys’ No. 2 wideout. Doing so would cost Dallas approximately $29MM, but it has “a strong likelihood” of happening, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN. That’s assuming the relationship between the two sides doesn’t hit a snag in the coming months, Graziano notes.
A second-round pick from Georgia in 2022, Pickens was productive over the first three seasons of his career in Pittsburgh. The Steelers bailed on Pickens last offseason, though, trading him and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys for a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Pickens averaged around 16 games, 59 catches, 947 yards, and four touchdowns per year as a Steeler, but they moved on after some rocky moments. Toward the end of his tenure with the Steelers, he was late for their Christmas Day game against the Chiefs. That came a few weeks after Pickens took a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a win over the Bengals, leading head coach Mike Tomlin to declare that the offensive weapon needed to “grow up in a hurry.”
After the trade occurred in May, Steelers general manager Omar Khan told the media that “a fresh start for both sides was the right thing.” Six months later, the Cowboys surely don’t regret taking the gamble.
While the Cowboys are a lackluster 3-5-1, Pickens has done his part to keep the team afloat during a career year. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder has racked up 49 catches, 764 yards, and six scores in nine games. He’s third in the NFL with 12 receptions of 20-plus yards and tied for fourth in TD grabs.
Pickens stepped up as the Cowboys’ WR1 when CeeDee Lamb missed three full games and most of another one with a high ankle sprain earlier in the season. Lamb returned in Week 7, but Pickens has continued to post strong numbers since then. They’ve given quarterback Dak Prescott an elite one-two punch.
Despite Pickens’ success this year, some league executives are concerned about his inconsistency, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Still, his production and age (he won’t turn 25 until March) are a tantalizing combination. A high-priced multiyear deal should be in order if Pickens reaches free agency. Jones hasn’t been shy about using the franchise tag for integral offensive pieces, though, having done so for Prescott, running back Tony Pollard, and tight end Dalton Schultz in recent years.
Barring an extension, Pickens has a realistic chance to become the first Cowboys receiver to get the tag since they placed it on Dez Bryant in 2015. The Cowboys and Bryant hammered out a lucrative extension several months later. Pickens could meet a similar fate, though other options – including playing out the 2026 season on the tag or ending up in another trade – may be on the table.