Cowboys Predicted to Make $30M Move to Solve George Pickens Contract Dilemma

The Dallas Cowboys had a few rising stars emerge on offense throughout the 2025-26 NFL season.

Dallas elected to take a chance on two players last offseason, signing running back Javonte Williams in free agency and acquiring wide receiver George Pickens for a pair of draft picks. The gamble paid off as both of them put together the most productive campaigns of their professional careers.

Williams rushed 252 times for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns, along with adding two scores through the air. Meanwhile, Pickens led the Cowboys and finished top-3 in the league with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.

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The Cowboys are being rewarded by having to pay up to keep Williams and Pickens with the franchise. They'll command a pretty penny when free agency rolls around.

In the case of Pickens, the second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler is in line to become one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. The upside is apparent as Pickens won't turn 25-years-old until March. He's still extremely young despite going into his second contract.

It's worth noting that Dallas is already paying top dollar for star pass-catcher CeeDee Lamb, who signed a four-year/$136 million extension a few years ago that ties him to the team through the 2028 season. That might mean the Cowboys will have to get creative to keep Pickens around.

Cowboys Predicted To Franchise Tag George Pickens

According to ESPN's Bill Barnwell, the plausible scenario is for Pickens to ultimately return to Dallas on the franchise tag. That would give the Cowboys time to figure out how to keep Pickens around for the future, while not destroying the salary cap in the process.

"The problem for Pickens is that the tippy-top of the wide receiver market has risen faster than the franchise tag for those players. The franchise tag for wideouts in 2026 projects to come in at $28.6 million, making it easy for the Cowboys to justify using it," Barnwell wrote. "Even if Dallas decides it doesn't want to sign Pickens to a long-term deal, it could tag and trade him."

"The most likely scenario should see Pickens return to the Cowboys in 2026 on the franchise tag. If he can prove that 2025 wasn't an outlier season, the Cowboys will be more inclined to sign him to a long-term deal. If not, well, Pickens would hit the open market next season," Barnwell added. "For now, though, the tag seems like the most plausible path for one of the league's breakout stars."

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There are some risks that come with extending Pickens long-term. Effort has been a point of concern during his time in the NFL, and some of those problems surfaced last season, though not often.

Pickens only broke 1,000+ receiving yards once in his three seasons in Pittsburgh, totaling just 12 touchdowns through the air. The Cowboys also have to decide if he's a one-hit wonder or if playing next to Dak Prescott and Lamb helped unlock Pickens' skill set.

In the three games Lamb missed due to injury, Pickens caught 19 passes for 359 yards and four touchdowns, showing his ability to carry an undermanned wide receiver room.

Dallas Cowboys WR George Pickens celebrates after catching a pass for a two-point conversion against the Kansas City Chiefs | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Pickens has been projected to land a new deal that pays nearly $31 million per season. That would put him on the cusp of a top-5 wide receiver salary.

$28.6 million may sound like a disappointment to Pickens but he only made $8.7 million over his rookie contract.

Dallas did franchise tag Prescott in 2020 and 2021 before making him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

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