There’s no one more invested in the relative success of Dallas Cowboys No. 2 (or No. 1-ish) wide receiver George Pickens than quarterback Dak Prescott, who helped guide one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2025 thanks in large part to the addition of Pickens to the mix. Pickens posted 1,429 yards last year, which was third in the league and did rank fourth, all-time, in the Cowboys’ single-season record book. Considering the trade cost for Pickens–a third-round pick–pilfering him from Pittsburgh last spring was one of the best transactions by any team last year.
The tricky part about Pickens, though, is that he is now entering free agency. The Cowboys have long been more comfortable having star players than they have been paying star players, and Pickens is now part of that dynamic. Dallas opted to put the franchise tag–a one-year, $27 million contract–on Pickens before the March deadline, and now, the question is whether Pickens will sign it, or hold out for a long-term deal.
The first indication of that won’t come until the Cowboys begin their offseason program, which opens on Monday, April 20. That’s voluntary, but Pickens’ decision on whether to attend will be noteworthy.
George Pickens Helped Fuel Cowboys Offense
Prescott is, obviously, hopeful that Pickens will participate. The Cowboys threw for 4,527 yards last year, which was No. 2 in the NFL and had the No. 4-rated offense in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s in large part thanks to the presence of the duo of Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, two of the best receivers in the league.
But the prospect of not having Pickens on board for the offseason program is daunting–a holdout from a star player does not benefit anyone in terms of performance on the field. Prescott, though, has been trying tog et ahead of that by working out with Pickens here in the offseason.
Speaking at a charity fund-raiser on Friday, Prescott said, “This is the first real offseason of George being a part of, and he has showed up, he has been active, he has looked great. Super-excited. Leaving all those contract talks and all that to the front office.”
GettyDallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
Dak Prescott Has Some Franchise Tag Experience
Certainly, Pickens could play hardball with the Cowboys and insist on a long-term deal. The team and Pickens’ camp has until July 15 to get a long-term deal done, under NFL rules, though it is a situation in which the Cowboys have most of the leverage. Pickens’ only options are to get an offer from another team–and none is forthcoming–or hold out and risk losing paychecks.
Prescott, back in February, had advice for Pickens on the matter, even if he is staying out of it now.
Prescott pointed out that he had played on the franchise tag, in 2020, and got a record-breaking contract even after breaking his leg that season. “You played last year on a one-year, whatever it was,” Prescott said. “So if you can go one year for $30-whatever-it-is million, it’s the same thing I got when I franchised. hey, go do it. Bet on yourself.”
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