George Pickens Officially Ends Dallas Cowboys Franchise Tag Saga

The drama surrounding Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens and his franchise tag can be put to rest. On Wednesday, after days of speculation, it was reported that Pickens has officially signed his franchise tender. The Cowboys confirmed the news shortly after.

Before the 2026 NFL Draft, reports surfaced that Pickens intended to sign the franchise tag. That reignited speculation about a potential trade, but the weekend came and went without a trade and without Pickens putting ink to paper.

By signing the franchise tag, Pickens is guaranteed at least $27.3 million for the 2026 NFL campaign. Now that PIckens has signed the tender, he can report to the offseason program.

Earlier this week, ESPN's Adam Schefter claimed Pickens would ask for a trade without a long-term deal, but video of Schefter's claim on The Pat McAfee Show was quickly disputed and deleted.

What's Next For George Pickens?

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens reacts after catching a touchdown against the New York Jets | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Pickens and the Cowboys can now take the next step toward working out a long-term deal, which could lead to further drama. Pickens proved last season that he is deserving of a blockbuster contract.

However, before the draft, Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones made it very clear that the team has zero intentions of trading Pickens or negotiating a long-term deal. The team currently plans on Pickens playing on the franchise tag.

"We have no intention of moving George," Jones said during the draft. "We're fired up about him signing his [tag], because it means he's ready to come in here and get to work. ... We have zero intention of moving [him]."

During the annual league meetings, Jerry Jones noted, "Make no mistake about it, we have long-term plans in mind for Pickens."

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott celebrates with wide receiver George Pickens after a touchdown | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Last season, the 25-year-old Pckens finished eighth in the league with 93 receptions, third in receiving yards (1,429), and eighth in receiving touchdowns (9). They were career highs in all three categories.

It's going to be interesting to see if Pickens shows up to the team facility for the offseason program without a new deal and whether there is any potential holdout that goes into training camp, but for now, Cowboys Nation can just hope that inking the franchise tender was a showing of good faith from the breakout star as the Cowboys and agent David Mulugheta attempt to get a deal done.

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