George Pickens' Top NFL Free-Agency Landing Spots if Cowboys Don't Tag Star WR

The Dallas Cowboys have major roster decisions to make in the upcoming offseason, including George Pickens' contract situation. Did he do enough to earn an extension in Dallas, or is he headed elsewhere in 2026?

If you ask Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, he'll probably tell you that the 24-year-old will wear the star on his helmet for the foreseeable future. 

While on 105.3 The Fan, Jones said he doesn't envision Pickens playing for another team and provided reasons why the Cowboys want to keep him around:

"He's an outstanding, let me emphasize this again, outstanding teammate. He brings energy to the team even when he's not making some of those great receptions. Bottom line, it's working, and it's precious to have it here right at this time with what we're trying to do with Dak [Prescott] and how we're trying to maximize having him."

Keep in mind, though, Jones also said he wanted Micah Parsons to be part of the Cowboys' future, and the team traded the star edge-rusher to the Green Bay Packers this past offseason.

When team representatives go to the negotiating table, plans for a player can change over time. So, let's take a look at how the Cowboys can retain Pickens and which clubs could show interest in him if Dallas allows him to test free agency.

Cowboys Franchise-Tag George Pickens

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Dallas can keep Pickens off the open market with the franchise tag, which Over the Cap projects to cost about $28 million for wide receivers in 2026. 

The Cowboys can use the one-year tender as a placeholder for a long-term deal or to keep him on the roster at a slightly lower salary than his extension would cost on a yearly basis.

Pickens would likely prefer the security of a long-term deal, but the Cowboys may want to see him perform at a high level over consecutive years before committing to one.

Unless Dallas fears this could lead to a messy holdout, Pickens is a strong candidate for the franchise tag.

George Pickens Signs Long-Term Extension with the Cowboys

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Coming off his best season, Pickens will command a lucrative new deal that will make him one of the league's highest-paid receivers. Expect his contract to land him within the top seven at his position, which means at least $30 million annually.

Spotrac projects he will sign a contract worth $30.7 million per year, which would slot him seventh among wideouts, a spot above Amon-Ra St. Brown, who inked a four-year, $120 million contract with the Detroit Lions in 2024.

If the Cowboys negotiate with that ballpark figure in mind, they will need to make room for the contract. Dallas will enter the 2026 offseason with limited cap-space flexibility and must reconstruct existing deals to accommodate a costly signing.

That said, as Spotrac's Michael Ginnitti noted, Dallas can free up close to $70 million in cap space if it converts Dak Prescott's, CeeDee Lamb's and Tyler Smith's salaries.  

With those contract conversions and a couple of roster cuts (perhaps Logan Wilson or Trevon Diggs), the Cowboys would have enough room to sign Pickens to a long-term deal early in the offseason. The ascending receiver with 88 catches for 1,342 yards and nine touchdowns this season could get a four-year, $124 million pact.

Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

If Pickens enters the open market, the Baltimore Ravens are a realistic landing spot that makes sense for both sides.

In 2024, quarterback Lamar Jackson set career highs across several passing categories, marking the evolution of the Ravens' aerial attack under offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

This year, Jackson has battled injuries and seen a drop-off in completion rate. As a dynamic signal-caller who uses his legs, he has a history of missing a handful of games in a season, and running back Derrick Henry will turn 32 in January. 

Baltimore should consider a more balanced offense, which has ranked in the bottom three in pass attempts in three campaigns under Monken. With a dynamic deep-ball threat like Pickens to complement Zay Flowers, the Ravens could field a potent aerial attack. 

Jackson can deliver more strikes from the pocket, and Henry could take on a lighter workload to preserve his longevity.

Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Ed Zurga

The Kansas City Chiefs' pass-catching group needs a makeover. Tight end Travis Kelce will contemplate retirement in the offseason. Wideouts Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton will be unrestricted free agents. 

Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy will be on rookie deals next year, and the former hasn't been reliable due to injuries and a suspension.

The Chiefs wanted to feature the deep ball this season, but it didn't work out as planned. Worthy missed a few games with a dislocated shoulder, and Patrick Mahomes' pass-catchers let him down with drops.

Kansas City can bring in Pickens to open up its passing attack. He can also be an upgrade over Rice if the team has second thoughts about the 25-year-old entering a contract year. 

Pickens may need to exercise patience with catching passes from Mahomes, who's recovering from a torn ACL, but the two-time league MVP is worth the wait in the long term.

Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

The Las Vegas Raiders don't have a No. 1 or No. 2 receiver. Tre Tucker is their top wideout who will be under contract in 2026. Rookies Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. are still in the early stages of their development.

On most rosters across the league, Tucker is the third- or fourth-best receiver. Star tight end Brock Bowers needs help with the heavy lifting in the passing game. Averaging 16 yards per catch, Pickens can take the top off a defense as a complement to Bowers.

Whether it's Geno Smith, another bridge-gap veteran or a rookie under center, the Raiders need an established receiver to pose a consistent threat to defenses through the air.

According to Over the Cap, the Raiders are projected to have the second-most cap space at around $105 million. Pickens could earn a hefty annual salary and serve as a primary option in the Raiders' aerial attack.

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/George Walker IV

As 31-year-old Calvin Ridley recovers from a broken fibula, tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo and a trio of rookie fourth-round pass-catchers, Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor and Gunnar Helm are the Titans' top targets in the passing game.

Despite an underwhelming pass-catching group, rookie quarterback Cam Ward has shown promise in recent weeks, throwing for six touchdowns and just one interception in his last three outings.

Pickens may not have Tennessee circled as a primary destination among his desired landing spots, but he may consider it given Ward's progress and the potential target volume atop the Titans' depth chart.

Last year, Tennessee signed Ridley to a four-year, $92 million deal, but he struggled to click with Ward when healthy, logging a career-low 47.2 percent catch rate. A new coaching staff may prefer a different premier receiver, like Pickens, in free agency.

Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Abbie Parr

This past offseason, the Washington Commanders negotiated a contract extension with Terry McLaurin, which reached a point of frustration for the receiver, but they ultimately agreed on an extension before the regular season.

With second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels on a rookie deal, Washington should load up on talent around him. 

Deebo Samuel, whom the team acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in March, will be a free agent. Other than McLaurin, the Commanders don't have a reliable wideout on the books beyond this season. Also, keep in mind that reliable pass-catching tight end Zach Ertz tore his ACL early in December. 

Daniels is coming off an injury-riddled down year in which he threw for eight touchdowns and three interceptions with a 60.6 percent completion rate in seven games. Washington can help him get back on the right track by adding a receiver who can consistently make explosive plays.

Pickens can grow along with Daniels and learn from McLaurin, a seventh-year veteran.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.