George Pickens is a strong candidate to receive the franchise tag this offseason, but that could be the start of some potential contract drama between the wide receiver and the Dallas Cowboys.
In the event that Pickens receives the franchise tag this offseason, there’s a strong chance he won’t report for the Cowboys’ offseason program, the Dallas Morning News reported Sunday. However, Cowboys co-owner, executive vice president and CEO Stephen Jones iterated to the Dallas Morning News that Pickens must report to the team this offseason, even if he receives the franchise tag.
“We always want guys here,” Jones told the Dallas Morning News. “We’ve franchised players before, obviously we want him here working with the team. It will work itself out in the coming weeks.”
The timeframe for the Cowboys to potentially use the franchise tag on Pickens opened up this past week, and the team has until March 3 to determine if they want to do that. It was reported earlier in February that the team is expected to tag Pickens, but could potentially trade him.
Even if Dallas places the franchise tag on Pickens, that isn’t a guarantee that he’ll play with the Cowboys in 2026. He would still have to sign the one-year contract he would get with the franchise tag. This year, the value of the franchise tag for a wide receiver will be roughly $28.8 million, per Over The Cap. That figure is fully guaranteed. Pickens could also sign an offer sheet with another team, which would allow the Cowboys to either match the offer and keep him or lose him and receive two first-round picks from the team that signs him.
Pickens, who turns 25 in March, had a breakout season in his first year with the Cowboys. He was eighth in the league in receptions (93), third in receiving yards (1,429) and tied for eighth in receiving touchdowns (nine) in 2025. He was named to the Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro honors.
As a result of his play, Pickens is widely viewed as one of the top players set to become a free agent this offseason. In fact, Pickens was ranked No. 1 in FOX Sports’ top 100 NFL free agents list. So, if Pickens does sign a longterm deal this offseason, it’ll likely make him one of the game’s highest-paid wide receivers. Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase became the highest-paid wide receiver last offseason with a contract with a four-year, $161 million contract.
NFL free agency officially opens on March 9.
