According to Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys would like to retain WR George Pickens in 2026 and beyond, which might necessitate the use of the franchise tag next offseason.
Rapoport says there have been no extension talks between the two sides as of yet but Dallas has been thrilled with the production it’s gotten from Pickens after trading for him this past offseason.
The tag for wide receivers would likely be over $28 million next year. From there, Rapoport notes the Cowboys could trade Pickens if talks don’t proceed, but it’s important to note that’s not their first preference.
Dallas will need to clear significant cap space to be able to afford the tag for Pickens.
Another wrinkle is that Pickens is represented by agent David Mulugheta, who also represented DE Micah Parsons when things broke down this past summer, including owner Jerry Jones saying he didn’t know who Mulugheta was. Rapoport writes that team sources told him the relationship with Mulugheta won’t be an issue.
Pickens, 24, was a preseason All-American second-team selection in 2021 and a second-team preseason All-SEC at Georgia. The Steelers used the No. 52 overall pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He’s in the final year of a four-year $6,752,177 rookie contract that included a $2,090,674 signing bonus when he was traded to the Cowboys after the draft for a future third-round pick.
In 2025, Pickens has appeared in 10 games and caught 58 passes for 908 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2026 NFL Free Agents.
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