NFL insider predicts Cowboys’ $28 million George Pickens’ contract

The Dallas Cowboys knew this moment was coming. They just didn’t expect it to arrive this fast.

After acquiring wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers following the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas got exactly what they hoped for and more. Pickens delivered a career year, emerging as one of the most dangerous wide receivers in the league and giving quarterback Dak Prescott a true game-changing weapon on the outside.

Now, that breakout has created an expensive decision for the ‘Boys. Pickens is set to hit free agency this offseason, and early signs suggest contract talks could come down to a familiar Cowboys crossroads: commit long-term at a premium price, or lean on the franchise tag and kick the can down the road.

How the Cowboys might handle Pickens’ contract

Pickens’ 2025 production speaks for itself. He finished the season with 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns, all career highs. He was a consistent mismatch, a red-zone threat, and one of the few bright spots in an otherwise frustrating Cowboys season.

That type of production doesn’t come cheap in the NFL. According to Spotrac, Pickens could command a five-year deal worth roughly $153.7 million on the open market, averaging just over $30 million per season. That would place him among the highest-paid wide receivers in football.

For a Cowboys team already paying top dollar to Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, that’s a tough pill to swallow. NFL insider Dan Graziano believes Dallas already has a preferred path.

“Based on everything I’ve heard, the franchise tag is the likely option here,” Graziano reported, noting that while Pickens hasn’t shown the effort or concentration issues that followed him in Pittsburgh, those concerns still linger league-wide.

The projected 2026 franchise tag for wide receivers sits at $28.046 million, a hefty one-year hit, but slightly cheaper than Pickens’ projected annual value on a long-term deal. The tag would also buy the Cowboys time to continue negotiations without risking losing him outright.

Given Dallas’ cap situation and the need to address other areas of the roster, that flexibility could be crucial.

Dallas does have options. The team could free up cap space by restructuring contracts for Prescott and Lamb, and potentially moving on from veterans like Terence Steele or Donovan Wilson. The front office has shown a willingness to get creative when it believes a player is central to the team’s future. And by all accounts, Pickens fits that description.

Prescott has already lobbied for Pickens’ return, and both Jerry Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer have echoed their desire to keep him in Dallas. The interest is mutual, but now it’s about numbers, structure, and timing.

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