George Pickens Stays with Cowboys on Franchise Tag

On April 24th, George Pickens and the Dallas Cowboys have locked in his spot for the

2026 NFL season under the franchise tag.

That means he's set to earn $27.3 million fully guaranteed if he signs before the

offseason program kicks off.

Long-term contract talks are on hold until next offseason, but both sides seem cool with

that for now.

The news dropped just hours before the NFL draft, 2026, sparking all kinds of trade

rumors outside the building.

They'll stop maybe they were parting ways, but the Cowboys shut that down quick.

They're actually thrilled he's jumping on the tag so early, seeing it as a sign he's

ready to ball out.

Team exec Stephen Jones made it crystal clear in the post-straft 1 presser.

No plans to trade Pickens at all.

Owner Jerry Jones and head coach Brian Schadenheimer have echoed that vibe for weeks, stressing

long-term plans for him and Dallas.

It's all about keeping the squad strong.

Pickens has been vocal about loving it there.

Keeping tie bonds with stars like Dak Prescott and CD Lamb during the offseason.

Coming from his Pittsburgh days with some bad press, this fresh start in the locker room

and with coaches has him locked in.

Expect Pickens to show up for voluntary workouts in May and the mandatory mini-camp in June,

while the Cowboys keep drafting and building around him.

This sets up a smooth run into the season.