George Pickens Cowboys Franchise Tag, Report Deadline Dates After Contract Decision

The Dallas Cowboys made a surprising decision regarding star receiver George Pickens on Wednesday.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones announced that the team will not engage in contract talks with Pickens regarding a long-term deal after placing the franchise tag on him earlier this offseason. Dallas would've had until July 15 to negotiate with Pickens, but it's now clear that the team is willing to let him play out the 2026 campaign on the franchise tag.

Per ESPN's Todd Archer, the Cowboys informed Pickens' agent, David Mulugheta, of their decision last week. Archer went on to explain that Pickens could choose to sit out until Week 10 of the regular season in order to gain an accredited year before becoming an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

Dallas placed the nonexclusive $27.3 million franchise tag on Pickens last month. The team has not signed a player tagged for the first time to an extension since wide receiver Dez Bryant in 2015. The Cowboys could choose to use the franchise tag on Pickens again in 2027, which is estimated at $32.7 million.

Pickens has not informed Dallas whether he will attend the team's offseason program, which begins next week. He will need to sign the franchise tender, which he has not yet done, to be eligible to participate in OTAs.

The Cowboys could be setting themselves up for a contentious situation with a star receiver who wants to be paid what he feels he's worth, so many will be watching to see how Pickens responds to the latest developments.