Will George Pickens Get Franchise Tagged? Cowboys Insider Sounds Off on Contract Buzz

Having made a very strong impact through his first 10 games with the Dallas Cowboys, George Pickens could be back with the club in 2026.

Per ESPN's Todd Archer, the Cowboys "could" elect to use the franchise tag on Pickens to keep him on the roster for next season.

Jerry Jones has not been shy about using the franchise tag. He used it in six consecutive years from 2018 to '23, including back-to-back years for Dak Prescott in 2020 and '21.

The franchise tag would put a dent in Dallas' 2026 cap. Over the Cap projects the one-year tender for a wide receiver will come in at $28.05 million, which would be fully guaranteed.

Dallas is currently last in projected cap space next season at $46.8 million over the estimated $295.5 million cap figure. Restructuring the contracts for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb would clear nearly $50 million, so it's not a big concern as far as fitting Pickens' salary onto the books.

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The bigger issue, though, is how the Cowboys could fit the tag number for Pickens and add talent to continue building up their defense. Dante Fowler Jr., Jadeveon Clowney and Sam Williams are all set to become free agents.

Some of those positions will be filled through the draft since the Cowboys have two first-round picks. They aren't a team that traditionally makes a big splash in free agency anyway, so their big outside acquisition will likely end up being the trade with the New York Jets for Quinnen Williams.

Pickens is certainly putting together a season that would warrant a long-term extension. He ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards (908) and is one of only two players with at least 50 receptions averaging more than 15 yards per catch.

Dallas ranks second in the NFL with 29.6 points per game. Its five games with at least 30 points are tied with the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks for third-most.

The Cowboys had to give up a third-round pick in the 2026 draft and a fifth-round pick in 2027 to acquire Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the deal has paid off in spectacular fashion based on how he has played so far.