It has been pretty clear from all sides involved that the Dallas Cowboys and George Pickens, who came together last offseason following a trade from the Steelers, should keep their relationship going.
Pickens, as has been well-documented, was outstanding running alongside star receiver CeeDee Lamb this year, going for 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. Pickens was eighth in the NFL in receptions and third in receiving yards. For a player who arrived with a reputation for half-efforts and locker-room difficulty, the Cowboys could not have been more pleased with how Pickens carried himself all year.
Owner and GM Jerry Jones has sung Pickens’ praises throughout the season, and in the postseason press conference he held just after Week 18 wrapped up, Jones said, “As much as we think he is exceptional as a player, his love of the game and his passion about the game is unquestionable, that’s strong stuff.”
George Pickens Will Be More Expensive Than Cowboys Anticipated
Now comes the tricky part: signing George Pickens in free agency. The obstacles are many, and they are obvious. For one thing, the way he has played for the Cowboys has pushed Pickens’ value to the top of the market, and Spotrac projects him with a market value of $30.6 million, warranting a four-year, $122 million contract.
The Cowboys already have Lamb making an average of $34 million. How much money can the team commit to one position?
And there’s the negotiating tactics of Jones himself, who tends to wait to make his move on new contracts. There is no time for that nonsense with Pickens, though. The Cowboys do have a tactic in their back pocket they can use: the franchise tag, which would keep Pickens in place for another year. But that is not the all-powerful tool it might seem to be.
In fact, NFL executives warn, using the tag on Pickens could get “sticky” for the Cowboys.
GettyCowboys owner Jerry Jones
George Pickens Will Not Want the Franchise Tag
Here’s what ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote after speaking to folks around the league about the Pickens situation with the Cowboys, under the sub-headline, “George Pickens’ situation in Dallas gets sticky.” The Cowboys can franchise Pickens for one year and $28 million–but are they ready for the possibility he will push back against it?
“Pickens will want a long-term deal above that number, and if Dallas doesn’t give him that, some around the league wonder whether he stays away from the team for a large portion of the offseason or even training camp. ‘I just don’t see him, coming off the season he had, welcoming the tag with open arms,’ a veteran AFC coach said.
“If tagged, both sides would have until July 15 to reach a deal. Pickens can choose not to sign the tag as a leverage method.”
Cowboys vs. Star Standoff Incoming!
In other words, we could have a standoff between Pickens and Jerry Jones, with the added context that Pickens is represented by Athletes First, the same agency that represents Micah Parsons. Of course, Jones’ insistence on skirting the agency and negotiating a deal with Parsons directly is at least just one reason the Cowboys traded Parsons last August.
It could be sticky, indeed. The one benefit for the Cowboys, though, is that the tag has an expiration date, on July 15, the hope is that no matter how much Jones likes the attention that comes with a stand-off against a star player, this one will have to get resolved sooner rather than later.
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