George Pickens Gets Franchise Tag from Cowboys, What Is Timeline to Sign Contract?

The Dallas Cowboys are using the franchise tag in an effort to keep George Pickens for at least one more season.

The Cowboys formally applied the tag worth an estimated $28 million to keep Pickens in Dallas for 2026, the team announced on Friday.

The two sides now have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term deal.

The news comes after star receiver CeeDee Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million contract that kicked in ahead of the 2025 season.

Pickens, who was previously set to hit unrestricted free agency this spring, will now be expected to rejoin Lamb as a top target for Dak Prescott.

The Cowboys sent a 2026 third-rounder and made a 2027 pick swap in order to acquire Pickens and his expiring contract from the Pittsburgh Steelers last spring.

Originally tabbed to serve as WR2 behind Lamb, Pickens saw his workload spike after Lamb went down with a high ankle sprain early in a Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Multiple outings as Prescott's top target helped Pickens rack up 93 catches for 1,429 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns through 17 games.

Only the Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Los Angeles Rams' Puka Nacua had recorded more receiving yards than Pickens by the end of the season.

Pickens appeared to have found a better fit in Dallas after public tension between him and the Steelers' leadership soured the wide receiver's tenure in Pittsburgh.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan ahead of Week 7 that Pickens is an "inspirational" teammate whom Cowboys coaches have enjoyed working with.

"Of course, when we got him, there was some issue with, 'Well, there might be something with his personality,'" Jones told 105.3 The Fan. "Well, I'll tell you this. I'll take that combination we've got with him any day."

The Cowboys will now hope securing a top receiving duo will set up Prescott, who signed his own $240 million extension that kicked in ahead of the 2025 campaign, to lead Dallas back into the playoffs in 2026.

Dallas had until March 3 to tag Pickens.

If the Cowboys and Pickens don't agree to a multi-year contract by 4 p.m. ET on July 15, his next contract will be limited to a one-year deal that can't be extended until after Week 18 of the 2026 regular season.