George Pickens is set to become an unrestricted free agent after finishing his first season in Dallas. Greg Fiume / Getty Images
The Dallas Cowboys are planning to place the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens, a league source confirmed to The Athletic.
Pickens is set to become an unrestricted free agent after finishing his first season in Dallas.
The Cowboys acquired the 2022 second-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers, along with a sixth-round selection, last May in exchange for a third- and a fifth-round pick. Pickens fit right in with Dallas’ offense, setting career highs with 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Pickens also earned the trust of quarterback Dak Prescott, who told reporters on Monday that it was important for the Cowboys to re-sign the 24-year-old pass catcher.
“It doesn’t matter, whichever way that they got to do it, he’s an important piece of this offense, an important piece of what we’re trying to do,” Prescott said.
The franchise tag does not prevent the Cowboys from trying to reach a long-term deal with Pickens, but if he ultimately plays on the tag, he would earn around $28 million in 2026.
With Pickens in the lineup last season, the Cowboys posted the second-most yards per game in the NFL (391.9) and tied with the New England Patriots for the fifth-most offensive points per game (27.7), per TruMedia.
Feb 8, 2026
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