The Dallas Cowboys have placed the “non-exclusive franchise tag” on wide receiver George Pickens. What does the future hold for this star wide receiver? 

This is bad news for the Dallas Cowboys, as their leading WR from the 2025 season will be free to negotiate with other teams, but the Cowboys will have the right to match per the tag guidelines. 

The Cowboys have just dug themselves into a deeper hole with the Pickens situation. Putting the tag on the wide receiver guarantees a salary of about $28 million, which will need to be paid out this year. 

The Cowboys already face issues with the salary cap. This is going to be one tricky offseason for Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. But there is time until July 15 to agree to a new long-term deal. 

The $28 million becomes guaranteed when Pickens signs the one-year tender. If both parties agree to a new deal, it would replace the current one-year deal. 

Placing Pickens on the tag also guarantees that he can remain in a Dallas uniform for another season. However, it is unlikely that another team will come in for Pickens, as they would need to pay big and would have to give up two first-round draft picks as compensation to the Cowboys. 

The first-time the Pro Bowler had a breakout season was in 2025. In the 17 games played, Pickens had 1,429 yards with an average of 84 yards per game. The WR also had 9 touchdowns to his name. 

As for Pickens, this could play on his mind differently, not having that guarantee and security of a long-term deal. This could make him seek to leave Dallas, where he gets paid big money.

What did this prolific Front Office personnel say about George Pickens?

While appearing on the Rich Eisen Show, the Cowboys' Chief Operating Officer and Co-Owner, Stephen Jones, said, “We’re not putting any time frame on this. The most important thing is live in the present.”

While the Cowboys fans will not be happy with that statement, there is still a lot of time between now and the start of the season for something to happen. 

Jones said, “Jerry (Jones) had a great visit with him yesterday. He was fired up that he wasn’t going to be going anywhere.”

Are they hinting at something about Pickens and his future with Dallas?

”Jerry said he was on cloud nine that he (George Pickens) was going to be a Cowboy again,” said the CEO and co-owner, Stephen Jones. 

But Jerry Jones himself has also asserted that as he informed Pickens of the move, the conversation went well:

"I expressed to him how valuable a part of the team that we think he is, I think he is. The kind of contribution he can make, he'll continue to get better working Dak, working with the other receivers. So we talked about the future, we both reiterated how good it was for him to be here, and know that what we have in place assures that he will be here."

Where do you see George Pickens play in the upcoming NFL season? Let us know in the comments. 

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Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Joyita Das