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George Pickens' saga with Cowboys may not be over
Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

George Pickens' saga with Cowboys may not be over despite franchise tag decision

The Dallas Cowboys and George Pickens seem to be in a good place right now.

The former Pittsburgh Steelers star agreed to sign his franchise tag tender, and he's now slated to make roughly $27.3 million in 2026.

However, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero doesn't think this is the end of the story.

Making an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show," Pelissero argued that the Cowboys could probably consider moving on from him if someone makes them a strong offer.

Cowboys could still trade George Pickens 

“What's more likely at this point is George Pickens plays on the tender,” Pelissero said. “Because we know that the Cowboys have already said, ‘We're not gonna do a long-term deal. We're not gonna talk about it. He's gonna play on the tender, he's a valuable piece to the team,' and from everything that I've been told for several months, that's largely true. But there is certainly a possibility if someone offers the right package for George Pickens [he could be traded].”

Pickens would certainly appreciate being moved and gaining long-term financial security through a new deal.

The wide receiver market continues to blow up, and he would likely make much more per year with a new multiyear agreement after posting career-bests in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429) and scores (9) in 2025. 

Also, with the 2026 NFL Draft in the books and multiple teams missing out on their preferred wide receiver targets, perhaps someone will be tempted to make a run at the former second-round selection. 

The Cowboys are already spending big bucks on Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Quinnen Williams, thus the decision not to give Pickens a long-term deal.

So, even though he's throwing them a bone by signing the tender, he's also known for his somewhat volatile temper, and he may also look to make life uncomfortable in Dallas if he doesn't get a new contract at some point. 

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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