The Dallas Cowboys have placed the franchise tag on star wide receiver George Pickens.
Pickens became a star in Dallas after being traded there by the Pittsburgh Steelers along with a sixth round pick in exchange for a third-rounder and a fifth-rounder before the start of the 2025 season.
He’d go on to have the best statistical season of his career in Dallas as he formed a formidable partnership with CeeDee Lamb.
Pickens played all 17 games for Dallas and hauled in a career-high 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
In the process, Pickens earned his first NFL honors – being named to the Pro Bowl as well as the All-Pro second-team.
After such a strong season, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cowboys are keeping the University of Georgia product on their roster.
The Dallas Cowboys have placed the franchise tag on their star wide receiver George Pickens
Pickens put up the best numbers of his career in 2025 after being traded from the Steelers
He formed a formidable partnership with CeeDee Lamb (88) in a strong Cowboys offense
But the Cowboys are facing a seriously tough summer for their roster as their current makeup has them at a projected -$56million in cap space – the worst in the league.
With tons of re-structuring and trades on the way, signing Pickens to a long-term deal is a luxury at this point. It’s also nowhere near close to being their top priority.Â
So, by placing the tag on him, the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones buy themselves some time to work out a deal with the star pass catcher.Â
For the 2026 season, the projected franchise tag contract cost would see Pickens earn $28,824,000 per OverTheCap.
Placing the tag on Pickens could also lead to a potential trade being worked out if Dallas feels the need to move on from him.
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Dallas Cowboys make final decision on star receiver George Pickens as he heads towards free agency