What is George Pickens' Projected Value in Free Agency?

George Pickens was sent to the Dallas Cowboys during the 2025 offseason in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He arrived in Dallas as a talented wideout with questionable football character, but answered many of the questions hovering over him during a breakout campaign.

Pickens proved to be a perfect fit in the Dallas offense, recording team-highs in receptions (93), yardage (1,429 yards), and touchdowns (9). He was set for free agency, but the Cowboys used the franchise tag to keep him around for another year.

While he could have held out in hopes of a larger contract, Pickens decided to sign the one-year tender and prove he deserves a long-term deal. As is often the case, contract prices have soared this offseason as multiple wideouts landed massive deals this year and that could be very beneficial for Pickens, who was identified as the fifth-best free agent in 2027 by Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his piece, Knox says that Pickens needs to prove he can produce at a similar level in 2026 and while the questions from his days in Pittsburgh linger, Pickens deserves a deal similar to one recently signed by Drake London.

"However, Pickens will need to show that he can consistently produce at a Pro Bowl level to earn a top-of-the-market deal. His production fluctuated during his three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Pittsburgh was willing to trade him for third- and fifth-round picks last offseason," Knox wrote.

"Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin also questioned Pickens' ability to be a leader following the trade, which probably won't be forgotten by some team decision-makers. If Pickens has another Pro Bowl season while continuing to repair his locker-room reputation, he should be able to match recent receiver deals—like Drake London's four-year, $141.1 million extension—on the open market."

What is a predicted contract for George Pickens?

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens catches the ball at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Based on what London signed, Knox believes Pickens will secure a contract worth $142 million over four years. That would be an average of $35.5 million per season, which is fair for the value Pickens brings to the table.

The question is whether the Cowboys would pay that, and right now, the answer might be no.

Stephen Jones recently threw some cold water on the idea of Pickens signing long-term with the Cowboys, saying teams can't typically afford two elite wide receivers. The Cowboys are already paying CeeDee Lamb an average $34 million per season and aren't likely to sign Pickens for more than that.

Dallas could get creative with their accounting to fit both under the salary cap. There's also a wild scenario where they could decide to sign Pickens and move on from Lamb, but the most likely scenario involves Pickens landing a monster contract with a wide receiver-needy team. And that contract could exceed the prediction from Knox if he has another season like he did in 2025.

— Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI —

Add us as a preferred source on Google