George Pickens‘ emergence as a true No. 1 target has left the Dallas Cowboys facing a defining offseason decision, with the wide receiver now approaching free agency after a dominant 2025 campaign.
Acquired in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickens needed little time to make his mark in Dallas. His production has placed Pickens on track for a significant payday, and the Cowboys have made it clear they want to keep him, but the path forward is complicated.
Dallas must choose between committing to a long-term contract or using the franchise tag to retain control of a player coming off his best season.
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Around the league, many expect the latter. Among them is Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report, who views Pickens as the Cowboys‘ most obvious franchise-tag candidate this offseason. The reasoning comes down to money and recent investment.
“However, inking Pickens to a massive long-term deal isn’t necessarily a slam dunk. The Cowboys are already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million a season. Pickens‘ three seasons with the Steelers featured no shortage of highs and lows. And Dallas is perennially in salary cap purgatory-the team currently sits almost $40 million over the projected salary cap,” Davenport wrote.
The financial backdrop is impossible to ignore. Dallas has already committed top-of-the-market money to CeeDee Lamb, and adding another long-term receiver deal at a similar level would only intensify existing cap pressure.
Why the franchise tag appeals to Dallas
Davenport acknowledged that even the franchise tag presents challenges, but he still sees it as a more flexible solution given the alternatives.
“Those cap issues make using the tag difficult. But depending on what sort of deal Pickens is looking for, a projected tag of $28 million and change may become a more appealing option than another long-term deal for a receiver averaging well over $30 million a season.”
From the Cowboys‘ perspective, the tag offers short-term certainty. It would keep Pickens in the building for another year without locking the team into a multi-year commitment that could restrict future roster moves. It also provides a buffer, allowing Dallas to evaluate whether Pickens can replicate his 2025 production over a longer stretch.
There is context behind that caution. Before arriving in Dallas, Pickens‘ time in Pittsburgh was marked by flashes of brilliance mixed with inconsistency. While his Cowboys season erased many doubts, front offices rarely forget the full body of work when negotiating long-term deals.
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