Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens enters the season with plenty of attention surrounding his contract status. Amid this, an ESPN survey by NFL executives, scouts, and coaches ranked Pickens at No. 7 among top NFL wide receivers for 2026.

One veteran NFL offensive coach praised Pickens for his consistent production in difficult catching situations.

"One of the best I've ever seen at the contested catch," a veteran NFL offensive coach said, per Jeremy Fowl of ESPN. "There's such untapped ability there. It's just a consistency issue and where his head's at week to week."

Per the July 15 ESPN survey, the veteran NFL coach believes that Pickens is one of the league's best contested-catch receivers because of his ability to make tough catches despite occasional inconsistencies in route running and separation.

ESPN's Fowler further wrote in his article that an NFL coordinator views Pickens as the No. 1 receiver on the opposing game plans, stating that “he [Pickens] has emerged.”

“His 10.4 yards per target ranked second in the NFL, and his 2.27 yards after first contact per possession topped all receivers with 100 or more targets,” Fowler wrote. “For his career, Pickens averages 16.0 yards per catch.”

Pickens recorded career-high production with the Cowboys in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429), and touchdowns (9), even earning his first Pro Bowl nod.

However, the league-wide recognition did not translate into a new deal for Pickens. The Cowboys remained firm in their decision to let Pickens play under the franchise tag ($27.3M) for the 2026 season.

Cowboys avoid July 15 contract drama with George Pickens

The Cowboys revealed during the pre-draft conference in April that they have no plans to either extend Pickens' contract or trade him. However, they did have until July 15 to extend a long-term contract.

Although the deadline has passed, the Cowboys have avoided contract drama during the offseason, allowing them to keep their major focus on football.

"July 15 is often a dramatic day in the NFL calendar, the deadline for franchised players to get long-term deals - or not," per X post of ESPN's Ian Rapoport. "Yet with Cowboys star WR George Pickens playing on the $27.3M franchise tag with plans to cash in next offseason, there is no such drama this year."

While Rapoport noted the absence of any contract noise or hold-in from Pickens, he also highlighted the wideout's football-first mindset, with his focus set on leading the team to a Super Bowl title.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit