Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer reveals George Pickens 'hope' with franchise tag looming

The Dallas Cowboys have basically confirmed that they will use the franchise tag to retain the rights to wide receiver George Pickens for the 2026 season. 

While speaking with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked if Pickens will feature for Dallas through and beyond the next campaign.

Why Brian Schottenheimer wants George Pickens with Cowboys

"I hope," Schottenheimer said, per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. "Again, I think everything that I’ve been around George from the time he got here, from the time he came in, and I say this respectfully, I kicked his a-- in shooting free throws in my office. He might not remember it that way. I know this guy is a competitor and loves football, so I hope so."

A previous report indicated that the Cowboys could tag Pickens and then look to trade his services to a team in need of receiver help. It was later said that Pickens and his camp are "comfortable making this uncomfortable a little bit" as it pertains to the 24-year-old's desire to receive a multiyear deal to his liking from Dallas or a different club. 

This past Tuesday, The Athletic's Jon Machota noted that the Cowboys "seem fine with" keeping Pickens on the tag worth around $28.8M. 

Brian Schottenheimer not worried about relationship with George Pickens

In the summer of 2024, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb received a four-year, $136M deal from the Cowboys after they finished their final game of the preseason. Hours before Dallas' regular-season opener in September of that year, reports revealed that quarterback Dak Prescott had agreed to a four-year extension.

"This is going to play out the way it’s supposed to play out," Schottenheimer added about a possible contract saga involving Pickens. "GP loves football. My relationship with GP doesn’t change, just like it didn’t change with CeeDee or Dak or those guys that were going through certain things. It’s all part of the process. It’s the business side of it. Hell, I was talking to CeeDee last night. It doesn’t change."

Things between the two parties may change if Pickens responds to being tagged by going public with a trade request. Just last summer, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones declined to pay star pass-rusher Micah Parsons before Jones traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in late August.