Reports are surfacing that a Dallas Cowboys George Pickens franchise tag is imminent. Jerry Jones has expressed interest in keeping his receiver and is planning to use the franchise tag in order to achieve that. While this seems like a good idea in theory, in reality, it doesn’t seem financially possible.
The franchise tag for a receiver in 2026 is expected to be roughly $18 million, and the
Cowboys are scheduled to be $32.7 million over the cap when the season officially
begins in March. In order to sign Pickens to the tag and be at the cap ceiling, the team
needs to shed $50 million in cap space. What would keeping Pickens ultimately cost the
Cowboys?
Players Who Could Be Cut In Pickens Place
Quarterback Dak Prescott is going to count for $74 million against the cap, so he will
need yet another contract extension/restructure to bring that number down. Quinnen
Williams could be released or traded, and it would save the team $16 million, but that
would leave another forty or so. Kenny Clark has no dead cap money, so he could be
released or traded, and it would save the Cowboys another $21 million. That’s two key
players on the defensive line that would have to go to keep a number two receiver.
Malik Hooker and Logan Wilson would also have to go, which means Dallas would have
to lose four defensive starters and restructure their quarterback to keep Pickens. The
cost seems to outweigh the benefit for a player who had his first good season in 2025.
Is The Cowboys’ George Pickens Franchise Tag Earned?
Pickens displayed talent, but not production, in his first three seasons with the
Pittsburgh Steelers. He averaged 58 receptions for 944 yards and four touchdowns.
Pittsburgh sent the former Georgia Bulldog to the Cowboys in exchange for a third and
fifth-round pick. They needed someone to take pressure off their star, CeeDee Lamb.
As it turned out, Pickens needed Lamb to take the pressure off of him. Last season with
the Cowboys, Pickens hauled in 93 yards on 137 targets for 1,429 yards and nine
touchdowns. He only dropped four balls, and when he was targeted in the passing
game, his quarterback had a 114.9 passer rating.
Some of that production is due to being the top target for the Cowboys in the four
games that Lamb didn’t start. He’s a tremendous second option on the play sheet, but
should a second option be favored over four defensive starters? There’s no doubt that
Prescott will be willing to adjust his pay to keep Pickens, but how happy will the
defense, or more importantly, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, be?
At the end of the day, nobody can tell Jerry Jones what to do. If he has his mind made
up, write it in ink, because it’s happening. It just doesn’t make any sense, is all. Then
again, when was the last time the Cowboys’ owner did something that actually made
sense?
