Former NFL star sends holdout warning to Cowboys about George Pickens

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones recently made it known that people within the organization "expect" that wide receiver George Pickens will participate in portions of the offseason program after Pickens signed his franchise tag worth roughly $27.3M for the 2026 season. 

During a Wednesday appearance on the FanDuel TV "Up & Adams" program, former NFL star cornerback and current analyst Joe Haden was asked if he thought the supposed Pickens-related drama was now a non-story for the Cowboys. 

Is Cowboys, George Pickens situation destined to get messy?

"No," Haden responded. "I think that George Pickens definitely wants a long-term deal, and I think it may get messy. It may get messy." 

Haden later elaborated that he thinks Pickens could complete a holdout through at least Dallas' mandatory minicamp, which is scheduled to run from June 16-18. 

Jones previously said the Cowboys won't be signing Pickens to a multiyear extension this offseason. More recently, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated he was confident that Pickens would not cause any issues for the club from now through the start of the 2026 campaign. 

Many outsiders assumed last summer that pass-rusher Micah Parsons would remain with the Cowboys amid his lengthy contract dispute. Instead, Dallas traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in August, and the Packers then signed him to a four-year, $188M contract that included $136M guaranteed. 

It's unclear if any team would be willing to give up draft assets for the right to sign Pickens to an expensive long-term contract this spring or summer. 

Joe Haden gives George Pickens advice amid franchise tag, contract drama

"I don't want him to hold out," Haden added. "I would hope that he goes and plays for the tender just because the NFL is set up that way. I wish he would have got the long-term deal, but I don't want him to miss out on [the $27.3M]. ...He was hoping that he was playing on a prove-it deal [during the 2025 season], but you know how the NFL works. It sucks for George to be in this position, but I hope that he goes out there, gets this [$27.3M], and then is able to go and get a long-term deal."

Pickens could silence such chatter about his short-term future by participating in Dallas' mandatory minicamp. It remains to be seen where he will be on the morning of June 16.