Cowboys admit George Pickens' contract talks might get ugly

The Dallas Cowboys officially placed the franchise tag on star WR George Pickens on Friday. They will still have until July 15 to agree to a new long-term contract with the former Pittsburgh Steelers star.

However, that approach is far from safe. Pickens has a reputation for his hot temper, and players don't usually appreciate being tagged.

That's why, even though they have no interest in trading him and hope to work something out, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones admitted that Pickens might threaten to hold out. 

Cowboys hope George Pickens doesn't hold out

“You always hope that your players are going to be in here and working hard and getting ready for the next season. We also understand that just as we have the option to use the franchise tag, they have their options as well, negotiated in our labor agreement and collective bargaining agreement,” Jones told CBS Sports (h/t Jon Machota). “We certainly respect that. But we also certainly want these players in here working and working toward getting the Cowboys back in the playoffs and contending for a championship.”

We've seen star players use their leverage when they're franchise-tagged. They demand to be traded and refuse to show up for OTAs, training camp and sometimes even the regular season.

There are no indications that Pickens isn't happy in Arlington. If anything, he just had the best season of his career, leading the team in receptions (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine), showing impressive chemistry with quarterback Dak Prescott.

That said, his agent, David Mulugheta, starred in some ugly negotiations with Micah Parsons' contract last offseason, and there might still be some bad blood there.

Also, given his long and well-documented history of showing his frustrations, it's hard to predict how a player like Pickens might react if they fail to reach a deal before the deadline.