The Dallas Cowboys\u2019 pre-draft press conference quickly went off the rails when co-owner Stephen Jones announced there will be no long-term negotiations with wide receiver George Pickens. <\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t![\"Nov](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_27683731-scaled.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNov 23, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) reacts after making a catch over Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (33) and Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown (21) during the game at AT&T Stadium.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKevin Jairaj-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
What was supposed to be a Dallas Cowboys pre-draft press conference quickly became a George Pickens-focused presser when Stephen Jones announced a shocking decision on the team\u2019s star wide receiver. <\/p>\n
They\u2019re not even holding negotiations with him ahead of the 2026 NFL season.<\/p>\n
Stephen Jones reveals negotiations with Pickens are done for the year<\/p>\n
The Cowboys used the franchise tag on Pickens earlier in the year, which was seen by many as a placeholder that could potentially turn into a long-term contract if negotiations went well. <\/p>\n
It turns out, there won\u2019t even be a negotiation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe made a decision that we\u2019re going to have George play under the franchise tag, which won\u2019t be a first for us,\u201d Jones told reporters<\/a>. \u201cSo there won\u2019t be negotiations on a long-term deal.\u201d <\/p>\n Jones added the Cowboys have let Pickens and his representatives know. <\/p>\n The shocking part isn\u2019t Pickens ultimately playing under the tag. Fans and media members alike knew all along that was a strong possibility the moment the Cowboys tagged Pickens<\/a>. <\/p>\n But to not even hold negotiations is a surprise and questionable approach. <\/p>\n Jones cited the Cowboys\u2019 comfort with having stars play under the tag like they had quarterback Dak Prescott do in 2020. <\/p>\n Why are the Cowboys avoiding negotiations? <\/p>\n Not getting on the same page as Pickens\u2019 agent David Mulugheta was expected. But why go as far to shutting down negotiations this early on? Unsurprisingly, it\u2019s mostly financial. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not easy having two receivers being paid at the top of the market,\u201d Jones explained. \u201cEspecially when you have other great players on the team, a quarterback that\u2019s been here being the highest-paid player in this league for many years now.\u201d <\/p>\n Jones added the Cowboys like what Pickens has done and negotiations could pick back up in 2027. <\/p>\n NFL Draft implications<\/p>\n The huge Pickens announcement carries significant NFL Draft implications. In the lead up to Thursday\u2019s first round, there\u2019s been a lot of buzz about the Cowboys potentially looking at wide receiver at No. 12 overall<\/a> in a wipe out scenario. <\/p>\n The lack of a long-term future with Pickens already made it make sense. The lack of willingness to negotiate a deal only adds fuel to the fire. There\u2019s a reason why they\u2019re shutting down talks like this, and it\u2019s likely that they were miles apart on initial numbers. <\/p>\n Suddenly, picking WR Jordyn Tyson makes more sense than it did yesterday. <\/p>\n It was quite the announcement to make one day before the draft. We\u2019ll see if Round 1 takes things to another level. <\/p>\n \t\t\t Dallas Cowboys News<\/p>\n![\"Jan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_27970265-1-200x200.jpg\")
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