Jerry Jones has no plans of letting George Pickens leave Dallas.
The Cowboys are expected to place the franchise tag on the star receiver, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday, effectively keeping him off the market.
The tag can be applied between Feb. 17 and March 3, and would give Pickens $28 million guaranteed next season, per Over the Cap.
Pickens is coming off the best season of his career, posting highs of 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns en route to being name to his first Pro Bowl.
Dallas acquired the star wideout from Pittsburgh last off-season, and while the tag is just a one-year tender, Jones hopes to keep Pickens for the long haul.
“I’m talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him,” Jones told the team’s website. “I’m looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy a long time.”
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott also hopes he can continue to throw to Pickens for the foreseeable future.
“I think it must be done,” Prescott said at the Pro Bowl. “I think obviously from Jerry to everybody down understands that … We’ve got to find a way to keep him here.”