The Cowboys got a steal in George Pickens, sending only a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Pittsburgh for Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick. They are paying him only $3.656 million this season.
The wide receiver had nine catches for 146 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s comeback win over the Eagles, giving him 18 receptions for 290 yards and two touchdowns the past two weeks.
“It’s hard for me to say exceeds my expectations,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. “My expectations for him are limitless, and he’ll tell you that he’s not from here. I’m sure you have all read his article in The Players’ Tribune. He’s not from here. He’s not from this planet and so, I’m not going to put limitations on him. He went out there and did what he’s done in games when he has that opportunity, in practice as well.
“The guy loves the game. He stays focused. Just the communication, as I’ve said before, to other guys in the huddle about staying focused and keep doing what you’re doing. We lucked up with getting a guy like that. We have to make sure that we can keep him here. He’s a hell of a player turning into a leader, and he’s special.”
Pickens has had a better season than teammate CeeDee Lamb and just about any other wide receiver not named Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He already has a career-best 67 receptions and eight receiving touchdowns and is over 1,000 yards with 1,054.
“George has been such an integral part of our story, and he has his story to a degree that that’s our story,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “I’m so proud for him. Everybody on this team is. And he certainly has absolutely been the difference as we’ve played over the last two weeks. . . . It’s something when you’ve got 88 [Lamb] and Pick.”
Pickens, though, is scheduled to become a free agent in March.
He has earned a top-of-the-market contract, which begs the question of whether the Cowboys will be able to afford him. They are projected to be $60.2 million over the 2026 salary cap, according to overthecap.com.
The Cowboys could use the franchise tag on Pickens, which is expected to be $28 million for one season. It’s a move that would not sit well with Pickens.
“Of course, [we want to keep Pickens]. Of course, we are proud to have him, and I don’t even want to play games with him,” Jones said. “We’d love to have him on the team. By the way, I’d love to have 88 [Lamb] on the team. And I know what we’re asking around here, but we sure like the way the combination is really letting us execute on offense.”
Nothing stops the Cowboys from signing Pickens to a deal now, a fact that was pointed out to Jones on Sunday night.
“I don’t just try to spend my day messing with agents as you well know,” Jones said, chuckling.
The Cowboys will wait, as they always do, before figuring out some way to keep him.