Cowboys Must Confront Soaring $30 Million Expectation for George Pickens

George Pickens earned a massive contract after a breakout season with the Dallas Cowboys, and his price tag is soaring.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

After adding George Pickens in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason, the Dallas Cowboys had one of the more dangerous passing attacks in the NFL.

Adding Pickens alongside CeeDee Lamb gave Dak Prescott two elite options, and even when Lamb missed time with a high ankle sprain, the Cowboys remained efficient on offense. Pickens finished the season with 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, all career highs.

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That performance has him set to cash in this offseason with Pickens set for free agency. The Cowboys want to keep him around, but it won't be easy. Pickens' projected contract from Spotrac is currently $30.6 million.

George Pickens is now projected to sign a new contract for over $30 million annually, per @spotrac.

Pickens’ contract evaluation comes in at a 4-year, $122.4 million figure.

The Cowboys are expected to utilize the franchise tag soon on Pickens, if they can’t reach an agreement. pic.twitter.com/EFBilOOPW3

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 19, 2026

That matches up with reports on what his camp is seeking. According to Calvin Watkins, Pickens' agents are expecting more than $30 million per season. It's not an unreasonable ask, either, with Pickens putting together a strong enough campaign to command a contract similar to Lamb's, which is an average of $34 million per season.

Dallas hasn't started negotiations with Pickens, but talks could begin next week during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. If nothing is hammered out during that week, it's likely that the Cowboys will use the franchise tag to keep Pickens around.

Is the franchise tag the best option for Cowboys to retain George Pickens?

Dallas Cowboys wide receivers George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Even if Dallas uses the franchise tag, that doesn't mean Pickens will stay. The tag would give him an estimated $28.1 million for the 2026 season, but that might not satisfy Pickens.

If it doesn't, his agent could put pressure on the Cowboys to try and either force them into a long-term deal or facilitate a trade to a team that will.

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It's important to note that there is history between Pickens' agent and the Cowboys. David Mulugheta, who represents Pickens, is also the agent for Micah Parsons. Negotiations went south quickly between Parsons and the Cowboys, with Jerry Jones taking shots at Mulugheta through the media during the process.

Hopefully, both sides can move past that ordeal and do what's best for Pickens and the team. If not, this thing could get ugly, just as it did with Parsons last year.

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