Cowboys' George Pickens Franchise Tag Timeline Could Be Cause For Concern

As the NFL offseason gets underway, the Dallas Cowboys find themselves in the spotlight once again.

Dallas has the consensus top-rated pending free agent in George Pickens, and they're widely expected to use the franchise tag to keep him from leaving. Tuesday was when the window opened to place the tag on players, but the Cowboys have not made the move just yet.

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According to one team insider, it's not likely to happen anytime soon. Bryan Broaddus said that everyone he's talked to believes there's no rush to use the tag.

"I'm getting the feeling that this tag thing might not get done anytime soon. And if you ask some people the questions about it, if you say, hey, would you guys consider carrying this tag all the way to the end? No rush, kind of a thing? The answers I get are like, yes," Broaddus said on 105.3 The Fan.

Cowboys in no rush to tag George Pickens

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

He was asked if that means they will wait until the March 3 deadline to tag Pickens, and Broaddus added that would likely be the case.

"So, I think every day we could probably talk about this. I think what we could talk about is what we're going to, you know, I'll be hanging out by the bus over there at the Combine, kind of getting an idea what's going on, who's getting on and off, that kind of thing. We see David Mulugheta, great," Broaddus said.

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"But, yeah, I just kind of get in the vibe that, you know, there's going to be no rush here. And they're going to talk to him, see where they're at, and then if they have to use it, they'll use it. But I would think this thing is going to come down to the end, from what I'm gathering right now."

How quickly will the #DallasCowboys place the franchise tag on George Pickens?

Bryan Broaddus: I'm getting the vibe that there's no rush here. They're gonna talk to him, see where they're at, and then if they have to use it, they'll use it [by the March 3 deadline]." pic.twitter.com/2IC9GaIseh
— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) February 18, 2026

This could be a bit alarming, considering the Cowboys' history. Jerry Jones has shown no urgency in recent years to work on contracts, so this news feels like more of the same from Jones.

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That said, it could be a good thing. Perhaps Jones is hoping they can work out a long-term deal with Pickens without having to use the tag. We'll likely know more during the Scouting Combine, which is when Pickens' representatives want to begin negotiations.

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