George Pickens praised by Cowboys' front office amid recent criticism

The Dallas Cowboys struggled against the Detroit Lions in the Week 14 opener on Thursday Night Football, ultimately falling 44-30 and snapping a three-game winning streak.

It was an unfortunate loss for the Cowboys, which was highlighted by criticism about star wide receiver George Pickens and his effort on the field.

While the NFL pundits have been knocking Pickens' performance, those within the organization have been backing him up. The latest to do so is Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who made his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday morning.

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When asked about Pickens, Jones had high praise for the pass-catcher, who joined the Cowboys in a post-NFL Draft trade. This season, Pickens has done nothing but exceed all expectations.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens during the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

“Just so I’m real clear about it, I don’t have any concern about the debate about what George Pickens did or didn’t do in that game," Jones said.

"He brings everything to the table to frankly live with what's going on with this type of criticism."

The comments echo what head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Monday about Pickens and his effort on Thursday night in Week 14. Hopefully, Pickens can shake off the poor outing and return to his elite form when the team welcomes the Minnesota Vikings to AT&T Stadium under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football.

Kickoff between the Cowboys and Vikings is set for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

MORE: Latest Trevon Diggs injury update provided by Jerry Jones for Week 15

George Pickens' big payday

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens hurdles Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

After a career year with the Cowboys this season, Pickens is in line to receive a massive pay day.

According to Over the Cap, the projected franchise tag figure for a wide receiver in 2026 is $28.046 million. For Pickens' new deal, meanwhile, Spotrac projects Pickens could land a five-year, $153.7 million contract on the open market, which averages $30.8 million per year. That would make Pickens the sixth-highest-paid receiver in the league, per Over the Cap.

This season, Pickens has hauled in 78 catches for 1,179 receiving yards, which ranks No. 3 in the league, and is No. 5 in the NFL in receiving touchdowns.

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