Dak Prescott Praises George Pickens Amid Dallas Cowboys Contract Saga

Dallas Cowboys WR George Pickens celebrates with QB Dak Prescott during the first half at Bank of America Stadium. Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Dak Prescott Praises George Pickens Amid Dallas Cowboys Contract Saga

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Apr 18, 2026 9:00 AM ET

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George Pickens was exactly what the Dallas Cowboys needed last season. After deciding against selecting a wide receiver early in the 2025 NFL draft, Dallas acquired Pickens in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Their goal was to add a WR2 opposite CeeDee Lamb, but they ended up with another legit WR1. Pickens not only gave them a second option at receiver, but he seamlessly stepped into the lead role when Lamb missed three weeks with a high-ankle sprain.

That helped Pickens rack up a team high in receptions, receiving yardage, and receiving touchdowns. What it hasn't done, however, is get him a long-term extension. Instead, Dallas used the franchise tag to keep the pending free agent in town.

Pickens has yet to sign the tender, which has led to speculation that he could hold out. When asked about the status of Pickens recently, star quarterback Dak Prescott stayed away from the contract talk. Instead, he praised Pickens for how he's approached the offseason.

"Yeah, we were just working no different than I have any offseason. Obviously, first real offseason of George being a part of it and showed up, has been active, has looked great. So super excited, leaving all that those contract talks and that all to the front office," Prescott.

Prescott pointed out that the offseason workouts have yet to start, so any workouts have been led by the players alone.

George Pickens can't attend OTAs without a contract

Speculation regarding Pickens' attendance during any team-led OTAs is unneccessary. As long as Pickens isn't under contract, he cannot be at the facility working out.

That means until he signs his one-year franchise tag, or the team comes to terms on an extension with him, Pickens will be unable to participate.

The two sides have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term deal. If the two sides don't agree, Pickens can either sign the deal or hold out. Either way, the picture will hopefully be clear before training camp begins.

Cowboys have not dealt with franchise tag holdouts often

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Despite making use of the tag often, the Cowboys have not had anyone miss any games after being tagged. The closest they came was with Dez Bryant in 2015.

Bryant missed offseason programs while angling for an extension , and the two sides agreed before the July 15 deadline. More recent players, including Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dalton Schultz, and Tony Pollard, all wound up playing on the tag.

Prescott and Lawrence each ultimately landed new contracts while Pollard and Schultz played on theirs and left in free agency the following year.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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