Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver George Pickens is franchise tagged and qualifies for exploring options elsewhere.

Stephen Jones, the co-owner and executive vice president of the Dallas Cowboys, recently downplayed the chances of Pickens getting an offer from another team, stating that no outside teams have shown any interest in the wide receiver.

"You hate to get into things like that, but no, we've had no one call with interest in George Pickens," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on March 14.

Since the offseason kicked off, the Cowboys' front office has doubled down on the idea of having "long-term plans" for Pickens in Dallas.

Pickens recorded a career-high season with the Boys in 2025. He recorded 93 receptions for 1,429 yards, averaging 15.4 yards per catch and nine touchdowns. 

He has appeared in a total of 65 games in the NFL and has established himself as one of the most impactful wide receivers in the league.

Since arriving in Dallas, Pickens has formed a formidable receiving duo alongside CeeDee Lamb, giving the Cowboys one of the most dangerous wide receiver pairings in the league.

With that level of production and a market value approaching players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Cowboys would be hesitant to let George Pickens walk away.

If they do commit long term, however, Dallas may find itself navigating contract figures comparable to those already tied up in stars like Dak Prescott ($240M) and CeeDee Lamb ($136M), both having a four-year deal.

However, recent insider reports have raised questions about George Pickens’ long-term future with Dallas.

Inside the Cowboys’ Contract Strategy for George Pickens

SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora provided significant information on what Pickens' future would look like if the Cowboys invested in him next offseason.

“Pay-as-you guy is a smart strategy with Pickens,” said a NFL contract negotiator via La Canfora. “And Jerry [Jones'] never shy about applying the tag.”

“Even if Pickens keeps it together[in 2026], there would be some obvious concerns about how he would operate with the kind of guarantees that would come with a top-of-market deal…. I don’t believe Jerry subscribes to the calculus of having two receivers on a mega deal and his quarterback at the top of the market.”

According to Ethan Woodie of heavy.com, the Cowboys can probably use the franchise tag on Pickens again in the next offseason.

This approach could retain him for another season while keeping the contract cost manageable for Jones and company.

Despite Jerry Jones' insistence on a "long-term plan,” no concrete steps have followed that statement yet. With a franchise tag worth around $27.3 million in place, the Cowboys have until July 15 to finalize a long-term extension.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore