The Dallas Cowboys have had a very eventful offseason as always, even if nothing quite compares to the Micah Parsons fiasco of 2025. Star wide receiver George Pickens has been right at the center of the firestorm, as he seeks a new contract coming off of a career year last fall.
Pickens didn’t get the long-term extension that he was looking for from the Cowboys and has instead signed the franchise tag to play under in 2026. After a tumultuous stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers to start his career, the Cowboys clearly want to see more from Pickens before investing in him as a franchise cornerstone.
A lot of times, when players are playing on the franchise tag and the team risks losing them in free agency the following spring, trade rumors surrounding that player heat up. There has been no shortage of buzz surrounding Pickens, which is understandable given his talent and production last season.
Despite the rumors and the contract situation, the Cowboys still have no intention of trading Pickens. Co-owner Stephen Jones quickly shut down any noise of a potential trade on Monday on Mad Dog Sports Radio.
“There is zero interest in a trade for George Pickens,” Jones said firmly. “Zero. Zero interest.”
Even if it is just for one year, it makes sense why a Cowboys team that is trying to contend for a Super Bowl in 2026 would want to keep Pickens around. The Dallas offense was nearly impossible to stop in 2025 when Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Pickens were all on the field together.
The Georgia product was a major part of that, catching 93 balls for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns last year on his way to a Second Team All-Pro selection. His vertical skillset makes him a perfect complement to Lamb in the Cowboys offense, which should rank near the top of the league once again in 2026.
At the moment, it’s unclear whether Pickens is going to report for mandatory offseason activities amid this contract dispute. However, Jones has made it very clear that he will be out there wearing The Star this fall.
The Dallas Cowboys have had a very eventful offseason as always, even if nothing quite compares to the Micah Parsons fiasco of 2025. Star wide receiver George Pickens has been right at the center of the firestorm, as he seeks a new contract coming off of a career year last fall.