Dallas Cowboys to Use Franchise Tag on George Pickens in 2026, Stephen Jones Confirms

The Dallas Cowboys operate with a clear strategy—even when that strategy is to have no strategy at all. After acquiring receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a third-round draft pick last year, the Cowboys made no effort to secure a long-term contract for him, even if he delivered elite performance. He did.

Instead of rewarding Pickens with a fair long-term deal, the Cowboys appear to have planned to pay him $3.65 million in 2025. If he had a standout season, the team would then leverage the franchise tag in 2026 to retain him at a fraction of his market value.

The franchise tag for receivers now lags far behind the open market. While the Cowboys could pay Pickens $27.298 million in 2026 under the franchise tag, the recent contract signed by Jaxon Smith-Njigba sets the market at $42.15 million per year. This discrepancy highlights the Cowboys' intent to minimize financial commitment despite Pickens' proven performance.

During a pre-draft press conference on Wednesday, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones confirmed the team's unwillingness to negotiate a long-term deal with Pickens.

"There won’t be negotiations on a long-term deal," Jones said, via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Jones also indicated that the Cowboys have no guarantees regarding Pickens' participation in offseason activities. Until Pickens formally accepts the franchise tender, he remains unsigned and is not obligated to attend any team programs. He could skip the entire offseason, training camp, and preseason, only to report just before the regular season begins and still receive the full $27.298 million salary.

If tagged again in 2027, Pickens' salary would increase by 20% to $33.576 million—still below market value. Over two years, the Cowboys could retain Pickens for a total payout of $60.874 million, delaying his pursuit of long-term financial security by two full seasons. This approach forces Pickens to maintain peak performance and health to prove his value on the open market. (The Cowboys could tag him a third time, but the cost would escalate significantly.)

This strategy reduces Pickens to a financial transaction, disregarding his personal satisfaction or perception of fairness. The Cowboys' approach may also reflect Pickens' reluctance to engage with the team without an agent present. The organization prefers to bypass agents, as they typically secure better deals for players than the Cowboys are willing to offer.

It would be shortsighted to ignore the influence of Micah Parsons' representation on this decision. Parsons, like Pickens, is represented by the same agent, which may have contributed to the Cowboys' firm stance.

Effectively, the Cowboys' message to Pickens is: "Tough luck. The Collective Bargaining Agreement allows this, and we’re going to do it."

Pickens' only alternatives are to refuse to play, sign the one-year tender, or underperform to avoid injury risks that could jeopardize his long-term value. Even after the July 15 deadline for long-term contract negotiations closes, the Cowboys retain the option to franchise tag him.