This past Thursday, hours before the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, multiple outlets reported that the Dallas Cowboys’ George Pickens had signed the franchise tag. This seemed to be the start of an outstanding day for America’s team, who went on to steal Caleb Downs by trading up one spot to the 11th pick. They then traded down from pick 20 to 23 to nab two more fourth-round picks and still ended up with talented edge rusher Malachi Lawrence out of UCF.
Of course, in true Cowboys fashion, the good feelings couldn’t last. It has now been revealed that Pickens has actually not signed his franchise tag, and does not plan to anytime soon. Whether it’s his agent, David Mulugheta, who already has a rocky relationship with Jerry Jones, or somebody else in the star receiver’s circle, he is receiving bad advice.
Cowboys George Pickens Signing His Franchise Tag Will Be Mutually Beneficial
The franchise tag has historically gotten a bad rap because it does not provide the security of a long-term extension. It is completely understandable for players to want to ensure that they and their families are taken care of financially for as long as possible in such a violent profession. What is not understandable is having one, albeit fantastic, season, and acting like a $27.3 million franchise tag is out of the question. That money, which is fully guaranteed for next season, the second Pickens signs his tag, would more than triple his career earnings. The great receivers of the past who never sniffed money like this in their entire careers can be heard audibly scoffing, and rightfully so.
The market in the NFL for wide receivers has never been in a more player-friendly place. This offseason alone, there have been multiple record-breaking contracts agreed upon by wideouts. Jaxon Smith-Njigba became the highest-paid receiver in the history of the league when the Seattle Seahawks rewarded him with a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension. The deal includes $120 million guaranteed and averages $42.15 million annually. On a “smaller” scale, Alec Pierce became the highest-paid free agent receiver in history when he signed a 4-year, $116 million contract extension with the Indianapolis Colts. This includes $84 million in total guarantees and averages $28.5 million per year.
These examples beg the question: what is Pickens big hurry to sign a long-term deal? The wide receiver market is obviously only going upwards from here, and these are already ridiculously lucrative contracts. Everyone who has watched football over the last few years should be able to agree that the former Georgia Bulldog is somewhere between Smith-Njigba and Pierce in terms of value. Most would say he’s closer to JSN on that scale, and they would be correct, but that is not the point. The point is that Pickens is going to get an exorbitant amount of money one day if he can just stay out of his own way.
The road map to a mutually beneficial outcome for the Pro Bowl receiver and the Cowboys is painfully simple. Sign the franchise tag, prove last season wasn’t a fluke, and sign an extremely attractive long-term contract next offseason. It’s a complete win-win situation.
From Pickens’ perspective, he gets to secure himself north of $27 million, a chance to show that seasons like last year are the standard for a talent like him, and drive his price up even higher than it already is. From the Cowboys’ perspective, they get another year to evaluate him as a potential franchise player, some financial flexibility in the short term, and keep an all-world talent on their offense for at least one more season. This is a fair deal for both sides, so put the egos aside and get it done.
Resist The Urge To Self-Sabotage
Pickens needs to do some serious self-reflection and consider if this is really the road he wants to go down. The Jones Family and the rest of the front office are most likely going to make situations like this somewhat dysfunctional just because that’s who they are. That doesn’t mean that Dallas isn’t the best destination for him now and in the future.
Look at the former second-round pick’s numbers when he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite his enormous talent, with inferior quarterback play and an antiquated offense, he only surpassed 1,000 yards receiving once in three years and never had more than five touchdowns in a season. In one season with the Cowboys, he skyrocketed his career highs across the board in targets (137), receptions (93), yards (1429), and touchdowns (9).
Pickens was unquestionably one of the best receivers in the game last season in first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s offense, with his running mate Ceedee Lamb opposite him, and Dak Prescott distributing the ball. At a certain point, he is going to have to ask himself if he cares more about getting every last penny from a team or being in the best possible situation to succeed on the field.
Prescott and Lamb both had to do this silly song and dance leading up to their eventual contract extensions. It’s a painful, unnecessary, drawn-out process, but it’s fair to say things have worked out well statistically and financially for those two. Pickens is a sensational player, and the same thing can happen with him. Be smart, stay the course, and don’t give teams or the media any material to point to and say this is why a long-term deal is dangerous to give out.
