PHOENIX — The responses were certainly different. Asked about George Pickens and his contract situation on Monday, Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones had little interest in any deep discussions.
“We’re just not going to comment as we move forward on negotiations,” Jones said from the NFL’s annual meetings at the Arizona Biltmore, “on where that stands or anything like that.”
When a reporter followed up with a question about whether Pickens will attend offseason activities, Jones responded: “I answered your question.”
Is this a new Cowboys approach?
Not exactly.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones fielded several questions Tuesday about the star wide receiver, on whom Dallas placed the franchise tag last month.
“I don’t have a thought about expecting him or not,” Jerry Jones said. “Don’t know that one way or the other. I know he’s working out with (Dak Prescott). So all of that’s going good. I don’t have anything out of the ordinary to comment about regarding him, franchise tag. All of that is normal to me.”
Jerry Jones said there has been no recent contact with Pickens’ agent about his contract. Judging by everything coming from Dallas’ side, it appears the Cowboys are just fine with Pickens playing under the tag in 2026, which would pay him a guaranteed $27.3 million.
This is the 10th time in the last 15 years that the Cowboys have used the tag, more than any other NFL team during that span. Only once has a long-term deal been reached before the mid-July deadline the first time Dallas has placed the tag on a player. That was another wide receiver, Dez Bryant, in 2015.
Dallas decision: To extend or not to extend?
| YEAR | PLAYER | POS | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Anthony Spencer |
DE |
No extension |
|
|
Anthony Spencer |
DE |
No extension |
|
|
Dez Bryant |
WR |
Signed 5-year contract |
|
|
DeMarcus Lawrence |
DE |
No extension |
|
|
DeMarcus Lawrence |
DE |
Signed 5-year contract |
|
|
Dak Prescott |
QB |
No extension |
|
|
Dak Prescott |
QB |
Signed 4-year contract |
|
|
Dalton Schultz |
TE |
No extension |
|
|
Tony Pollard |
RB |
No extension |
|
|
George Pickens |
WR |
To be determined |
Cowboys franchise tags over the last 15 years
“The franchise tag has an automatic time frame on it and all of us will, and it’s my plan and our thought that we’ll all be working within the time frame of the conditions of the franchise tag,” Jerry Jones said. “It should play itself out, is the best way for me to say it. Make no mistake about it, we have long-term plans in mind for Pickens.”
The Cowboys expect Pickens to be on the field during the 2026 season, but that doesn’t mean he’ll participate in organized team activities, minicamp or when training camp starts in July.
“I like the fact that he’s working with Dak and they’re getting that in,” Jerry Jones said. “That’s critical right now as well as in the future. So it’s good. It’s all good. It doesn’t mean that in any way that it is bad if they don’t have a structured attendance under those circumstances. I don’t think so.”
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that he has recently been in contact with Pickens. Those talks have not included any assurances that Pickens will attend the team’s offseason program.
“And I haven’t pushed that on him,” Schottenheimer said. “We’re all going through the process. It’s almost April. We’re still a couple weeks away. It’s going to play out the way it plays out. Again, it’s all voluntary. You know, we’ll see where it goes.
“… He’s doing great. He and CeeDee (Lamb) have been taking a lot of trips together. He’s training with Dak. Look, GP loves it here. We love GP. We have plans for GP to be here for a long time.”