Every year, the Cowboys find themselves tangled in a contract extension debacle. For this year, it's George Pickens.

According to NFL Analyst Alex Kay of Bleacher Report, Pickens' financial future would have been different if he had signed a deal with a Super Bowl contender.

"Although he was ultimately franchise tagged by the Dallas Cowboys, it would have been a bit more exciting to see the blossoming superstar sign a megadeal with a top Super Bowl contender that boasts arguably the league's best quarterback: the Buffalo Bills," Kay wrote. 

That dream scenario would be like Pickens on a four-year, $129 million deal with the Buffalo Bills to play alongside Josh Allen, per Kay.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has Pickens ranked as No. 1 in his latest ranking of the Top 50 NFL free agents. He predicted that the best and most likely landing spot would be with the Buffalo Bills.

Knox projected him to land a 4-year, $124 million contract.

“Pickens should be the top target of virtually all teams in need of a true top target, provided they have the cap flexibility to offer a top-10 receiver contract,” Knox wrote. “Of course, Dallas is likely to ensure that Pickens never receives those offers.”

Pickens' 2025 season was the best season of his career. The WR racked up 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. That earned him his first Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors.

Across four NFL seasons,  Pickens has appeared in 65 games, recording 267 receptions for 4270 yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging a robust 16.0 yards per catch.

With such a production, there remains a realistic possibility that the Buffalo Bills or another team could try for a trade for Pickens on Day 1 of the draft, potentially in exchange for a first-round pick.

While much of the focus has been on how the Cowboys will use their No. 12 and No. 20 selections, trading Pickens himself has also emerged as a viable option.

The Cowboys' Stance on George Pickens Contract

The owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, at the NFL Owners Meeting, stated that he wishes to keep Pickens for a long time. 

"Make no mistake about it, we have long-term plans in mind," he said.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer followed suit, saying along the same lines.

"Hey look, GP loves it here. We love GP," Schotty said. "We have plans for GP to be here for a long time. So, we’ll let the business side of this thing play out and see where it goes."

Pickens carries the $27.29 million non-exclusive franchise tag for 2026. Both sides have until July 15 to finalize a long-term contract.

What are your thoughts on George Pickens' contract extension? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore