Dallas Cowboys' Stephen Jones Confirms Major George Pickens News

Dallas Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones revealed the team is closing in on finalizing its George Pickens franchise tag decision.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens laughs before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys' front office has vowed to take a different approach to the NFL offseason, with a focus on urgency after years of dragging their feet in contract negotiations with star players.

Last season's debacle led to a soured relationship with star pass rusher Micah Parsons and his ultimate trade to the Green Bay Packers at the end of the preseason.

This time around, the Cowboys aim to avoid disaster when it comes to star wide receiver George Pickens, who is coming off of a career year.

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It has widely been believed that the Cowboys will use the franchise tag on Pickens ahead of the official start of free agency, and Dallas' EVP Stephen Jones has confirmed that will be the case. In fact, Jones shared a timeline for Pickens to be tagged, which will be finalized "in the next week."

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on WR George Pickens: “We want Pickens here. We think the world of him. We love him. And I think he wants to be here.” pic.twitter.com/YhL2zDEaho

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) February 23, 2026

“We think the world of him. We want him here,” Jones said while speaking to reporters in Indianapolis ahead of the NFL Combine.

Over the weekend, Jones spoke about tagging players in the past. While he isn't sure whether Pickens would participate in offseason under workouts until a long-term deal is worked out, Jones believes the situation will work itself out.

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“We always want guys here,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News. “We’ve franchised players before, obviously, we want him here working with the team. It will work itself out in the coming weeks.”

According to Over the Cap, the projected franchise tag figure for a wide receiver in 2026 is $28.046 million. The Cowboys will be able to meet with Pickens' agent in Indianapolis this week, at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens during NFC practice at the NFL Flag Fieldhouse at Moscone Center South Building. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Pickens is currently projected to sign a new contract worth more than $30 million per year, according to Spotrac. His contract evaluation is projected at four years, $122.4 million. If the franchise tag is used in the next week, the belief is that Dallas would take advantage of the extra time to get a deal done, with a goal for July.

During his debut year in Dallas, Pickens finished eighth in the league with 93 receptions, third in receiving yards (1,429), and eighth in receiving touchdowns (9). All three numbers were career highs for the talented pass catcher, who now looks to cash in with a major payday.

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