It’s official. The Dallas Cowboys have placed the franchise tag on their star wide receiver George Pickens after weeks of speculation.

The Cowboys front office announced on Friday that they have placed a franchise tag worth $28 million on Pickens, keeping him in the Cowboys squad for the 2026 season.

However, it's important to remember that Pickens can still look at offers from other teams till March 11. If he is willing to sign one, the Cowboys will have an option to match the offer to retain him. And they likely will, considering Jerry Jones' comments from the Combine.

"Very clearly the Cowboys want George Pickens to be a part of our future. That says that so clearly. And it has a lot of muscle behind it when it says it. So I'm clear with that. I was rewarded that he expressed himself in the way he did about how comfortable he was here, how much he liked working with Dak [Prescott] and his teammates and he was looking forward to his future with the Cowboys."

George Pickens was acquired by the Cowboys from the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in 2025. In his first season with the Cowboys, he has racked up a career-best 1,429 receiving yards with nine touchdowns. He was part of the offensive powerhouse alongside CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott.

With the franchise tag on Pickens and CeeDee Lamb signed to a four-year, $136 million contract, the Cowboys’ wide receiver duo will be paid a combined average annual value of $62 million.

The Cowboys have until July 15^th to sort out Pickens’ contract before things could take an ugly turn.

Fans predict the Pickens situation going haywire soon

Pickens, at 24, is entering the prime time of his career. With the franchise tag being placed, Pickens could miss some parts of the offseason training camp and practice.

One fan surmised this well, saying, “Now the real negotiation starts. Pickens knows his value, and the Cowboys know they can’t let him walk. They’ve got until July to get a long-term deal done, or this becomes a distraction that follows them into camp.”

What’s more is that George Pickens is represented by David Mulugheta, the same agent who negotiated Micah Parsons’ move to the Green Bay Packers. Mulugheta and Pickens do not have a history of taking anything thrown at them, and fans see this as a drama waiting to unfold.

“I can guarantee it will end up worse than Parsons LMAO more stupid drama in Dallas,” one fan predicted.

The big question around a long-term contract will be how much Pickens will be paid. He outperformed CeeDee Lamb, a receiver paid over $35 million. Pickens could look to match that figure, adding on to the Cowboys' cap space problems.

“Oh, they're gonna get the sad, grumpy Pickens this year,” another fan commented on the situation. Another fan was straight up in his assessment – “Pickens is F****** FURIOUS right now!”

The Cowboys have until July 15^th to secure Pickens in a long-term deal. Otherwise, this could go south very quickly, another fan says. “I’m sure George will be happy with the tag after not being able to work out a long-term contract, I can’t wait for his first hissy fit!”

What do you think of the Cowboys’ move to place the franchise tag on George Pickens? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Shyam Hari

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar