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George Pickens contract: CeeDee Lamb sends message to Jerry Jones

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The Dallas Cowboys sport one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL

CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are each considered top-10 receivers, as evidenced by a recent poll of our staff here at CBSSports.com, where they checked in sixth and seventh in the league. (They also finished exactly sixth and seventh in ESPN’s annual poll of league executives.) We also ranked them as the No. 2 duo in the NFL, behind only Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Of course, it’s possible the duo could have a short-lived tenure. Last year was the first season Lamb and Pickens played together, and it was the final season of Pickens’ rookie-scale contract. But he was so good in 2025 (93 catches for 1,429 yards and five touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors) that the Cowboys decided they couldn’t possibly let him hit the open market, so they franchise-tagged him rather than allowing him to leave in free agency without a significant return.

Pickens eventually signed the one-year franchise tender instead of negotiating a long-term deal with the team, so it’s possible this coming season will be his last in Dallas. But Lamb doesn’t want that to be the case. In fact, he’s practically begging the Cowboys to make sure it isn’t, because he wants to form a dynamic duo with Pickens for years to come and help the Cowboys win the Super Bowl trophy that has eluded them for more than 30 years.

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“I’m sure we can make a way,” Lamb said, via Yahoo Sports. “I know it’s going to be a little crazy, but I know we can make a way for this one. Listen, this is my advocation: ‘@ Jerry, can you please figure out a way? Let’s figure it out. I don’t care what needs to happen. Let’s figure it out and it’s going to get you a couple more championships.’”

Lamb is already one of the highest-paid receivers in the league, having signed a four-year, $136 million contract extension in 2024. The top of the receiver market has crept up since he signed that deal, though, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba setting a new receiver record with a $42.15 million average annual value on the contract extension he signed this offseason.

If Pickens plays well enough this year that the Cowboys feel comfortable giving him a new long-term deal, it seems likely he’d top the $40 million-per-year mark. That would make the Cowboys the only team in the league investing that much money in the wide receiver position. 

The Bengals and Detroit Lions have also made significant, top-of-the-market investments in their top two receivers, but the contracts for Higgins and Jameson Williams are much smaller than the one Pickens is likely to command if he has another season like he did in 2025. (The same was true of the Miami Dolphins when they had investments in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, as well as the Philadelphia Eagles when they were paying A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.)

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Things could also get complicated because the Cowboys are surely going to want to extend star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, whom they acquired last year from the Jets and who is now only the 10th-highest-paid interior defensive lineman in the league. And, of course, the Cowboys have the NFL’s second-highest-paid quarterback in Dak Prescott, who makes $60 million per year. (They have only themselves to blame for that one, having badly bungled negotiations with Prescott multiple times.)

Still, it can be done if the team wants to do it and is willing to lay out the up-front cash to make it happen. Dallas has always had a reputation as a more free-spending team than it actually is, with Jerry and Stephen Jones constantly referencing the fact that there is only so much pie to go around, even for star players. But Jerry does seem at least somewhat open to keeping Pickens (and Williams) in the fold with Lamb and Prescott over the long term.

“Yeah, just you got to tell me the rest [of our spending], too,” Jones said, again via Yahoo Sports. “At some point, you’ve got to figure that out. But no, I think it’s realistic.” 

It remains to be seen whether that realistic scenario will become the Cowboys’ actual reality, but if Pickens has another strong season, it’ll be hard to make an argument against retaining him on a long-term deal.

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Shop Michael Brennan’s polished and sophisticated FootJoy shoes

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“I’m coming back”: Former world champion who beat Amir Khan announces return for ‘massive fight’

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The last fighter to step into the ring with Amir Khan is set to make a return to the sport.

Former world champion Kell Brook is the man in question, who is this time targeting a “massive” professional fight in the UK.

The 40-year-old was set to stage his comeback earlier this year, taking on Eisa Al Dah in a bid to raise money for the Ricky Hatton Foundation.

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Due to conflict in the Middle East, however, their Dubai event was ultimately postponed and supposedly relocated to Manchester, albeit with no mention of a specific date.

This would have been Brook’s first outing since scoring a sixth-round stoppage over Khan, his long-time domestic rival, in 2022.

Prior to that meeting with Khan, the Sheffield man appeared much further removed from his prime against Terence Crawford, who stopped him in round four of their 2020 welterweight encounter.

This version of Brook was, of course, a far cry from the one that dethroned Shawn Porter with an IBF title-winning performance on away soil in 2014.

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But still, ‘Special K’ is determined to rediscover his old magic after claiming to have renewed his licence with the British Boxing Board of Control.

Furthermore, Brook has told talkSPORT that he should soon be involved in a “massive” showdown, this time competing between 160 and 168lbs.

“I’m coming back! There is big news of a massive fight coming your way. Back in the professional ring, British Boxing Board of Control, coming out of retirement.

“I can’t give anyone a clue over the opponent, but we won’t be waiting much longer. It’ll happen this year; it’s about done. I’ll return at middleweight or super-middleweight, around them divisions.”

While stopping short of naming an opponent, Brook has been linked with a domestic dustup against Chris Eubank Jr, who has not fought since his unanimous decision defeat to Conor Benn in November.

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Billionaire who dropped bombshell Man United takeover claim pulls out of deal

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Manchester United were at the centre of a surprise takeover claim from Turki Al-Sheikh, who has since opted against taking over a Championship club

Turki Al-Sheikh has pulled out of a deal to invest in Championship side Derby Country, nearly 12 months on from dropping a bombshell Manchester United takeover claim. On Monday afternoon, it was confirmed by the businessman and Derby, that he was no longer in the running to acquire what was described as ‘controlling interest’ in the club.

United supporters may also be familiar with the billionaire Saudi Arabian boxing supremo following his shock claim on X that a potential investor was in advanced talks, before later clarifying it was not him

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He said: last year “The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor… I hope he’s better than the previous owners.”

The following day, he added: “My yesterday’s post about Manchester United’s potential sale meant one thing: the club is in an advanced negotiation phase with a new investor.

“Just to clarify, I am not the investor, nor are they from my nation. I’m posting this as a fan who wishes the deal to happen, though it might not necessarily happen.”

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His major claim was almost immediately dismissed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe in an interview with The Business podcast, produced by The Times and The Sunday Times, when he was asked about the Glazers.

He said: “That probably sums it up. We’re local and they’re the other side of the pond.

“That’s a long way away to try and manage a football club as big and complex as Manchester United. We’re here with feet on the ground. They [the Glazers] get a bad rap… but they are really nice people and they are really passionate about the club.”

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Turki Al-Sheikh has, however, shown an interest in investing in football with talks held over a move for Bristol City but that did not materialise. His potential investment in the Midlands outfit Derby reached a far more advanced stage before he opted out.

Following Derby’s statement, he later revealed his decision to not invest was because of how long it took football’s independent regulator to assess prospective owners that prevented best preparations for the season.

He said: “I would like to thank everyone at Derby County Football Club, and everyone involved in this process for all their hard work over the past few months.

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“We understood that the IFR process takes time and fully respect the importance of that, but unfortunately with the season already started, it would leave us with no time to prepare the team or the club for the season ahead.

“After careful consideration, we don’t feel it is right to proceed at this time without the necessary preparation in place, but we will remain in conversation with the club and see what is possible in the future. I personally wish the team and club every success for the season ahead.”

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Denny Hamlin shares his verdict on his 5th place finish in the Iowa Speedway

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Denny Hamlin had little confidence heading into Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350. Brake problems plagued his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota throughout the weekend and unapproved adjustments forced him to start at the rear of the field. Hamlin still fought through the problems to finish fifth at Iowa Speedway.

The problems started during the practice session after Hamlin’s brake pedal repeatedly went to the floor. The issue returned during the race. By Lap 34, the No. 11 Toyota was still reporting brake trouble over the radio.

Hamlin summed up his exhausting afternoon over the team radio after taking the checkered flag.

“Unbelievable work, that may be my best drive ever,” Denny Hamlin said over the radio.

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Hamlin suffered from brake shake at the 0.875-mile short track. Teams can choose different brake pad brands and compounds but NASCAR does not let teams replace their brake pads during the race weekend before the race starts. This meant the teams had to go with their brake choices until the race began.

Ryan Blaney won the opening stage from the pole and Christopher Bell took Stage 2. Hamlin finished the second stage in the top-10 and moved into the top five during the final stage.


“I switched my goals to needing some cars to wreck” – Denny Hamlin says he would have been happy with a top-25 at Iowa

Denny Hamlin at Iowa Speedway on Aug 9, 2026. - Source: ImagnDenny Hamlin at Iowa Speedway on Aug 9, 2026. - Source: Imagn
Denny Hamlin at Iowa Speedway on Aug 9, 2026. – Source: Imagn

Denny Hamlin, who crossed the finish line at Iowa in fifth place, said the result was better than he had hoped for. Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe also battled brake issues but still managed to finish sixth.

“If I would have known it was going to be like this the whole race, I would have said top 25. Honestly, I would have been happy with it. But they kept working on the car and made adjustments around not having any brakes,” he said.

“I knew there was a chance it could be fixed but I knew it was still the same components that couldn’t be fixed so I just felt down. I switched my goals to needing some cars to wreck and maybe I get a top 25.”

Ty Gibbs won the race after taking two tires during the final pit stop. Bell finished second and Blaney third.

Meanwhile, Hamlin increased his lead to 103 points after the Iowa race. He now sits first with Ty Gibbs in second, followed by Blaney. Tyler Reddick has dropped to fourth after retiring early from the race.

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