George Pickens contract: Cowboys expected to franchise tag star WR, per report

George Pickens will be a Dallas Cowboy next season, as the team is expected to place a franchise tag on the Pro Bowl wide receiver, according to a report from ESPN.

Dallas intends to keep Pickens on the roster, with the franchise tag, worth roughly $28 million for next season, likely serving as a starting point for negotiations to extend the wideout’s contract.

“I’m talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently said of Pickens’ future. “He’s better than, as far as what he contributed to our team, showing the potential that he could contribute. I’m looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy [for] a long time.”

Pickens was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After three productive seasons in Pittsburgh, he was traded to Dallas.

This past season, Pickens had the best year of his career, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns as the Cowboys went 7-9-1 and missed the playoffs. He was selected for the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.

Pickens’ counterpart, fellow elite receiver CeeDee Lamb recently said that he would have no problem should Pickens end up with a larger contract than his own.

“I don’t care about that, I just want my man to get what he deserves,” Lamb said during Super Bowl radio row. “As for me, I know I’m good. I’m fine. Me and my family, we’re straight, and I just want to compete at the highest level and I want to compete for a ring.

“The money will come if you play good, so just play good and let everything else take care of itself. As for GP, he’s well deserving. He deserves every penny that he gets. And if he gets more than me, I’m going to congratulate him on that.”