With the George Pickens situation still being in limbo, the cracks in the Dallas Cowboys' front office stand exposed. The uncertainty around Pickens' future might be headed for the worse, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

While speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, the NFL insider wasn't too hopeful about the star wide receiver signing a contract with the Cowboys.

“I'm skeptical that there will be an extension" Schefter said. "It's early. It's April 2nd. But George Pickens is not allowed to be in that building unless he signs the franchise tender.

“He's not going to sign that franchise tender without there being a long-term deal. I don't see a long-term deal coming into focus until right before the deadline, which would be the middle of July, which tells you that there's a real probability that George Pickens will not be there for the offseason program.”

Pickens is a must-have for Dallas this season. He had a career year in the 2025 season, arriving from the Steelers as a boom-or-bust trade. Pickens registered 1,429 receiving yards at Dallas, and the total was also the third highest among all NFL receivers. He is only behind the Rams' Puka Nacua and the Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

And yet, the Cowboys have shown little eagerness in treating Pickens as a key member of the roster. Placing the franchise tag only allows Dallas a chance for the WR to be suiting up in Cowboy colors for this season. Pickens can easily be poached away by the numerous teams still interested in him if they offer the Cowboys a reasonable deal.

But since there is no contract in place, the WR is not obligated to join practices. Jerry Jones also said in the NFL annual league meeting this spring that there have been no new talks with Pickens about his contract. But he also said that they are thinking "long-term" about Pickens. The WR also sent a big message across by practicing with quarterback Dak Prescott, showing that he wants to be part of this team.

The George Pickens situation is an extremely sensitive one at Dallas right now. Yet another insider chipped in as to why Jerry Jones hasn't doubled down on offering Pickens a contract.

Cowboys might prioritize defense over George Pickens Contract

While Jerry Jones has clarified that they are fast-tracking the Pickens deal, former NFL quarterback and current analyst Jordan Rodgers believes the front office might be prioritizing defense over offense right now.

“Is Pickens more of a luxury than a necessity?” Rodgers asked. “I don’t mean that to disparage how good a player he is, but defensively, this Dallas Cowboys team was terrible. That’s what’s holding them back from taking that next step.

"The signing of Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary; that’s going to be the difference maker. That is the priority."

Williams' contract will last till 2027. Clark's contract has been restructured, and he will also be at Dallas for the same duration as Williams. With the loss of Osa Odighizuwa in a trade to the 49ers, they’re already vulnerable and could now be in the market for defensive reinforcements.

As important Pickens is in the Dallas Cowboys offense, he also comes across as a somewhat expendable player. They already have a great WR in CeeDee Lamb. But that's all there is to the Cowboys offense, as of now, when it comes to the WR room. Sure, Jones can count on other receivers to also shine in the season. But will they give the same result as George Pickens brought to Dallas?

What do you think of this peculiar situation? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Afreen Kabir