Cowboys' George Pickens Announces 'Shout-Out To Jerry' Jones Amid NFL Contract News
· Yahoo Sports
Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens is playing on the franchise tag in 2026 and is set to net $27.3 million for the year.
But we know Pickens wants a long-term extension done, and for most, this upcoming season feels like George's last as a Cowboy, simply because of the money involved to keep him.
Visit betsport24.es for more information.
Thought to be worth at least $30 million APY for a new deal, Pickens could see his value trend upward if he has another Pro Bowl season in 2026.
Over Jerry Jones stated that Pickens could be a Cowboy for a long time, and that has sent tongues wagging that maybe, just maybe, 2026 might not be George's swansong in Dallas.
But what did Pickens think of his owner's comments?
“Super excited," Pickens said. "I’m always super happy when someone thinks highly of me, so shout-out to Jerry.”
READ MORE: Cowboys EXCLUSIVE: 'Cerebral' Jaydon Blue Off To Electric Start At Camp
And if the Cowboys were to entertain the idea of signing George long-term, well, they've just gotten the baseline number that negotiations are likely to start at.
New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave has just signed a four-year deal, worth up to $132 million, which averages out to $33 million APY.
That is the starting point in any negotiations, and, in truth, you could easily see Pickens' agent, David Mulugheta, open talks with a four as the first number.
In truth, the Cowboys likely already knew what sort of numbers they would be looking at if they decided to extend Pickens this offseason; it would have freed up roughly $20 million in cap space.
So, there was incentive to get a deal done.
READ MORE: Tyler Booker Makes 'No-Brainers' List For Cowboys' Leadership Council
Next season, it will be expensive, but the cap space gained from an extension could allow the Cowboys to sign another player or two to help fill out the roster.
Dallas made it clear it wouldn't negotiate with Pickens on a long-term deal, and now that the deadline has passed, no talks can begin until next offseason, when some think the Cowboys could tag him again if they choose.
This will be a storyline to follow all season, as with every good game, Pickens' price goes up, and with every misstep, it gives Dallas pause to offer that big deal.
But if the franchise does want to go down that road, they know that at the very least, $33 million APY is where talks have to start.