NFL Transfers & Rumours
George Pickens Present in Dallas but Unhappy Amid Contract Tension
Philadelphia Eagles v Dallas Cowboys - NFL 2025 by Stacy Revere | Getty Images
Cowboys receiver George Pickens is not pleased about the team’s handling of his contract, according to league sources, and while he has reported to the team this week to avoid financial penalties, this situation will bear monitoring throughout the season.
Pickens can be difficult and mercurial, which is why he has bounced around despite his talent, and staying focused and avoiding outbursts has been an issue for him.
He is stuck on a one-year franchise tag, and, as SportsBoom originally reported early in the offseason, the Cowboys were never serious about a long-term extension for him.
There is concern within Pickens’s camp that he could be franchise tagged again in 2027, further compromising his long-term earning potential.
That has cast a shadow over his relations with the team and played a role in his staying away from voluntary activities. But the Cowboys hold all of the leverage, and Pickens has no choice but to be around for mandatory work.
Cowboys Tread Carefully
Rival front offices understand why the Cowboys are treading lightly and maximizing their leverage with the receiver, but that’s easier to do in June than it is if things flare up in midseason.
Keeping Pickens from lashing out or being a distraction should he not feel like he is seeing enough of the football could prove to be a challenge; his history of those antics is a big part of the reason why the Cowboys have been hesitant to engage in a longer arrangement.
Cowboys officials have been clear in their public statements that they don’t foresee a new deal, and the sides have until the middle of July to address the contract, or Pickens must play for the franchise tender this season.
Things could get particularly dicey if the Cowboys were to try to apply multiple tags on the explosive receiver.
“He has a chance to make himself some money there (in Dallas) if he can maximize his production on the tag and do things the right way,” said one longtime NFL personnel executive who is close to some Cowboys brass.
“I think (owner) Jerry (Jones) is looking at this as a character test for him.”
Editor's Insight
Leaning towards this being managed rather than exploding early. The Cowboys hold the leverage and will likely ride it out, with Pickens staying put but frustration lingering in the background. From a betting angle, it’s a watch for volatility in his weekly production lines if things boil over midseason.
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La Canfora has covered over 20 Super Bowls and League Meetings and NFL drafts, building a wide network of sources throughout all aspects of the game. He was an award winning print journalist as well, working at The Detroit Free Press and The Baltimore Sun prior to his first stint at The Washington Post. He has covered sporting events around the world, including two Winter Olympics and all of the 2006 World Cup. He attended his first NFL game in 1978, and would soon kindle what has become a lifelong love and appreciation of the sport. La Canfora is also a professional handicapper, specializing in the NFL, creating a daily sports wagering game show - "Wanna Bet?" He also hosts nationally broadcast NFL radio shows in the US, as well as a daily sports radio show in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.