The Cowboys Next Move Feels Like a George Pickens Extension

[phildadon86]

Lamb is 6.5% of the Cap. If they sign Pickens, he'll be around 4% of the cap. They'll most likely never take up 30% of the cap for as long as they are on the team.

Yes I realized that after I wrote it.

Where I was trying to go with that was that much money being tied into 3 players. Include Dak in that equation and it’s gotta be close to 30 if not more.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Did we win the Super Bowl or make a championship game appearance im unaware of?

That defense had Micah on it. And the high powered offense didnt show up.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

While I'll admit your logic sounds good, I just think it's more wishful thinking than an actual plan.

Dak is good when he has weapons, or a really good run game like the one we had in 2016. A decent run game and Flournoy instead of Pickens is giving up on the upcoming season.

Dallas needs to be focused on defense. Not trying to replace a player on offense that is already on the team. Which isn't happening. We'd have to get lucky. Tennessee tried replacing AJ Brown in the draft. I think it got their GM fired.

I agree that we should be focusing on defence, but this also isn't a bad draft with WR. And the target I'm looking at in the 4th round could be a decent option. Not saying he's Pickens, but he can give us a decent weapon aside from Lamb and Flournoy. Plus, if we can get an extra first, then maybe there's a little extra wiggle room next year if we want to go QB round 1.

 

[Kwyn]

All true.

And I keep coming back to this question: Why trade for Pickens if you were never going to pay him market value? If he had a great year - which he did, why tag him instead of signing him?

Even paying him this year at $28 mil on the tag is a huge amount of cash for a team already spending big bucks on Lamb. It just seems they didn’t think this through very well.

As much as we all liked Pickens’ production last year, we still didn’t make the playoffs in 2025 for the second year in a row. That’s not Pickens’ fault of course.

But if we hadn’t traded for him, we would have probably been 5-12 instead of 7-9-1. And drafted in the top 7 instead of 12th. If acquiring a player doesn’t make your team that much better overall, what’s the point?

I agree with all of this. The entire thing feels like it was another one of Jerry and Stephen’s “whoopsie” trades where they thought they were just taking a flyer on a one year rental and then, when it ended up being a home run, didn’t know what to do with their success

At this point, I think they should just trade him.

Dak’s been working with him all off season and it seems that culturally he’s a perfect fit with the staff and the team, but Jerry and Stephen appear to be dinosaurs when it comes to managing modern talent.

The elite front offices of the league move fast and decisively and the Cowboys seem to be inacapable on both counts.

 

[BigD_95]

I'd agree....if you're going to give him around $60m guaranteed between two tag years why not just sign him long term? Give him around $80m guaranteed over 4 years and cut his cap hit in half so you can upgrade the rest of the roster.

this

 

[Flamma]

Pickens wasn’t on the team in 2023 and the offense did very well.

They did well against garbage. Dallas got blown out by the 49ers and the Bills scoring 10 points in each game. Scored 16 against the cardinals. I don't think the Cowboys had a good offensive showing all year against a decent team in 2023. We won some close lower scoring games against decent teams. I don't know what you're looking at. Games against the Giants, Jets, and Patriots? Yeah, they looked good against them. Out O was embarrassed by good teams.

 

[Flamma]

Yes I realized that after I wrote it.

Where I was trying to go with that was that much money being tied into 3 players. Include Dak in that equation and it’s gotta be close to 30 if not more.

Yeah that's fine. The only thing that matters is the current year. All future years can be edited. The Eagles do a great job of it themselves.

 

[Flamma]

I agree that we should be focusing on defence, but this also isn't a bad draft with WR. And the target I'm looking at in the 4th round could be a decent option. Not saying he's Pickens, but he can give us a decent weapon aside from Lamb and Flournoy. Plus, if we can get an extra first, then maybe there's a little extra wiggle room next year if we want to go QB round 1.

You and I know how the Jones boys work. Relevant is top priority. Pickens isn't going anywhere. Him, Lamb, Dak, it's an attraction. I would bet my house Pickens plays on the Cowboys in 2026.

 

[jazzcat22]

Pickens wasn’t on the team in 2023 and the offense did very well.

This is a cop out excuse. Want other factors could come into play as to why. Maybe the defense played better to help out the offense. As to where the 2025 defense gave ZERO help.
Opponents and their defenses and even offenses also a factor.

This is the equivalent to saying the 1991 Washington team that won the SB were favorites to repeat in 1992. But injuries derailed them and they missed the playoffs. And we know who won in in 1992 instead.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

You and I know how the Jones boys work. Relevant is top priority. Pickens isn't going anywhere. Him, Lamb, Dak, it's an attraction. I would bet my house Pickens plays on the Cowboys in 2026.

I know, and he probably will. I wouldn't be opposed to Pickens here. I just would think that trading would be smarter. But Jerry is Jerry.

 

[phildadon86]

Yeah that's fine. The only thing that matters is the current year. All future years can be edited. The Eagles do a great job of it themselves.

When have the Cowboys proven they can manipulate the cap as well as the Eagles?

 

[jazzcat22]

When have the Cowboys proven they can manipulate the cap as well as the Eagles?

When did the cap start? The day before?

 

[conner01]

That’s because Pickens was given the “non-exclusive” tag which allowed teams to negotiate with Pickens but if they signed him it would have cost the new team two #1 draft picks. No team would do that.

But if a team had any real interests all they’d have to do is negotiate a trade. If a team was willing to give up a single first rnd pick that deal could be done easily. The issue is no team is willing to give that pick and pay him

 

[blueblood70]

Because Pickens isn't going to sign for less.

Sure, a team could offer some lowball contract, but Pickens isn't going to sign it lol

I don't really care what you keep repeating, you are wrong.

You're still missing the point, but I'm tired of this round-and-round nonsense. I never said another team would sign him for less; I'm saying offers could be made to the Cowboys for less compensation, like draft picks. Still, I don’t think he’s getting 38 until he’s a true free agent with more leverage, and right now I don’t see him having much. That’s why he hasn’t signed the tag yet, though he can still get offers from other teams.

Stalling is just going to land him on a worse team if he gets traded. Parsons got lucky, so let’s not forget that. With George Pickens, like we discussed with Parsons, they would have had more options during the draft. Right now, he should be signing the tag and getting in Jerry’s ear about what he wants from another team in case he’s trade, what the numbers are, what’s on the table, because we don’t know, and none of that can happen until he signs the tag.

Yes, they can get offers, but right now he’s holding up the process, and that’s on him, his ego is also his own fault.

When he came here, if money was the only goal, like getting a maximum contract and squeezing whatever team for everything they’d give, fine, but realistically, he’s not JSN and hasn’t proven he’s anything close.

He needs to prove himself, which means playing under the tag if he doesn’t want to sign long-term, giving himself more options. Right now, that means signing the tag, so they have the option to trade him during the draft. Odds of someone offering two first-round picks? Probably not, so he likely won’t get traded, but he’d have more trade interest if he signed the tag and looked more flexible. The problem is, he’s got the wrong agent, Todd France, from the same agency, gets deals done, but David drags things out and makes it harder.


I get that they want to make as much money as possible, but his best situation and best season were right here. If you’re smart, you don’t have to chase a market-setting deal, you can still be a millionaire and live comfortably taking 32 on a short contract, then double dip later with mostly guaranteed money. That would be ideal for him. He’s young enough to come back and land another big deal, and receivers tend to last longer in this league than running backs. You can defend him because you think he deserves 40 somewhere, but that’s not the point. If he wants an extension here, he has to compromise and understand the situation, CeeDee Lamb is already making big money, and the Cowboys are up against the cap.

No team in NFL history has paid two top five receivers top five money at the same time; teams typically don’t pay two players at the same position that much. He knew that coming in. So, if he doesn’t want to be a Cowboy, let him go—sign the tag and move on. If he wants top dollar, he needs to be traded, but the reality is nobody’s giving up the draft picks or the money he’s asking for.

So, sign the tag, play on it, and start the process.

In my opinion, he’s getting bad advice from David A. I get that it’s the agent’s job, but this is the kind of player who, if you feed his ego, will listen to everything. If money is his only concern, he could end up on a bad team and never reach his full potential. If that’s his goal, fine, let him go. I understand he has the right to ask for as much as he can get, but that’s not always the best choice. He wants to be here, but this market isn’t his, and it’s not happening. So why tell the Cowboys his number?

They can just say he’s not getting it, so sign the tag and aggressively look for trade partners, but you can’t do that until the tag is signed. Even though offers could be made, none have come in, and teams might offer less in draft compensation. Not a single team has made an offer, and that should be a wake-up call. The best move would be to fire David or transfer to Todd in the same group, because Todd France would speed this up and get it done.

Someone needs to sit down with him and explain that chasing a market-setting contract to feed his ego isn’t always the smartest play. If he gets something like $108 million over three years, mostly guaranteed with certain conditions, including no franchise tag or trade clauses, then he could take a short deal, stay here, and prove to the league that he’s not just a one-contract-year wonder.

It would be best for both the Cowboys and him. If he gets in trouble, acts up, misses games, gets suspended, or has a big drop in production, he’s going to lose money. That’s why you need stipulations in a fully guaranteed contract stating that if he meets all the criteria, it will be fully guaranteed. How is that a bad thing for George?

He’d get to play with Prescott and Lamb, pulling coverage, and if he leaves just for money, he could end up stuck on a bad team. I know the Cowboys aren’t considered a great team, but his role in this offense was excellent last year, and he should want to be here.

That means compromise.

 

[LouBrown]

You're still missing the point, but I'm tired of this round-and-round nonsense. I never said another team would sign him for less; I'm saying offers could be made to the Cowboys for less compensation, like draft picks. Still, I don’t think he’s getting 38 until he’s a true free agent with more leverage, and right now I don’t see him having much. That’s why he hasn’t signed the tag yet, though he can still get offers from other teams.

Yes, I get it lol. You are wrong.

There is no reason for teams to reach out to Dallas for different compensation because they can't trade for him without knowing the contract. Since they have to negotiate a contract first, Dallass is just leveraging the tag

Pickens has a ton of leverage if Dallas is trying to be competitive, and he'll have even more when Puka signs an extension.

 

[blueblood70]

But if a team had any real interests all they’d have to do is negotiate a trade. If a team was willing to give up a single first rnd pick that deal could be done easily. The issue is no team is willing to give that pick and pay him

Why wouldn’t you give up one first? Two firsts is understandable, but teams can offer whatever they want—that’s the issue people don’t get. The franchise tag might mean the Cowboys need two firsts, but they can accept less if they choose. If someone offered a first and a third, or just one first, the Cowboys might consider it. It doesn’t mean they’d take it, but if teams truly wanted George Pickens, it would’ve already happened. They’re free to make any offer they want.

Right now, there’s no interest in Pickens because no team has gone to the Cowboys saying, “We can’t afford two firsts, but here’s what we can do.” The Cowboys could consider it, but they don’t have to accept. Offering two firsts just triggers the tag and starts the clock for the Cowboys to decide, but that doesn’t stop a team from offering something else in the past month. They could’ve said, “We’ll pay Pickens $38 million but can only give one first.” If you can’t get a first for Pickens, especially when they got one for Dexter Lawrence, something’s off with the philosophy. Whether he’s a starting receiver or worth top-five money comes down to whoever’s willing to pay it.

My point is that no team has offered anything—not a single draft pick. There hasn’t been one offer, and teams have the right to offer whatever they want. If a team was truly interested, like New England going after A.J. Brown, why wouldn’t they just try to get George Pickens? He’s younger, might even be better, and costs less. A.J. Brown makes a lot of money, and when he gets to a new team, he’ll probably ask for a new contract too—that’s been the trend lately. The thing people are missing is that your player doesn’t have a market. Not one team has offered any picks—no offers at all, not even a rumor or a fake offer. With the Dallas Cowboys, we hear fake offer rumors all the time, just assumptions floating around the internet.


None of these situations have really taken off yet—no smoke, no fire. I’m a bit surprised George hasn’t gotten a single offer, but he should be worth at least a first-round pick. I’ve seen other receivers go for more and get big contracts, like Tyreek Hill when he was traded from Kansas City. He was making a ton of money and had back-to-back great seasons, even better than with Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes, playing with Tua. That’s just an example, and other teams should see it that way. Still, there hasn’t been a single offer for George Pickens. If he’s truly as great as people claim, getting a first shouldn’t be an issue—but apparently, it is. Some Cowboys fans in this thread are hyping him up, saying he deserves it, yet no team has even approached with any kind of compensation. You can make offers even if he hasn’t signed the tag, but they need to be serious—no lowballs. If someone offered a first, the Cowboys might just take it.

 

[jterrell]

Dallas either needs to trade GP draft night or extend him.
GP probably should have signed the tag first day offered to ensure he could not be traded and get to true free agency next off-season with millions already in the bank.

 

[blueblood70]

Yes, I get it lol. You are wrong.

There is no reason for teams to reach out to Dallas for different compensation because they can't trade for him without knowing the contract. Since they have to negotiate a contract first, Dallass is just leveraging the tag

Pickens has a ton of leverage if Dallas is trying to be competitive, and he'll have even more when Puka signs an extension.

Look, I’m telling you, you’re wrong. You’re no expert, Lou. I know you’re on Twitter and think you know what you’re talking about, but you’re barking up the wrong tree. George hasn’t been on a team and carried them, hasn’t won a Super Bowl, and hasn’t done anything special without Prescott and Lamb backing him up. He hasn’t proven himself like JSN or Puka. The fact is, he hasn’t gotten a single offer—nothing. How do you know the league thinks like you? The proof is right there: if they wanted him, they’d make an offer. Name one time a team came to the Cowboys saying, “Here’s a first-rounder for George.” That hasn’t happened. And with the Cowboys, no story gets buried, even fake ones. You’re wrong. The league has spoken, and they’ve shown zero interest in George Pickens.

They clearly don’t think he’s worth even a single first-round pick, because if he were, someone would’ve made that offer by now. We’re heading into the draft, plenty of teams need receivers, and yet nobody has put a contract in front of George Pickens—not even an offer of two second-rounders. The rest of the league is basically saying he’s not worth what he’s asking, and they’re not willing to give both a high first-round pick and more. Just because he’s on the tag doesn’t mean teams have to offer two firsts. The league has spoken—he can play on the tag if that’s how it plays out. He might think he’s the next market-setting guy based on new contracts being signed, but that’s for next year. Right now, he’s with the Cowboys, and not a single team has made a move. It’s not me saying it—it’s the league showing he’s not worth it at this moment, or they would’ve offered something.


There have been no offers, so how can you say they’re not willing to pay him a contract when nothing has been put on the table? The issue is that teams don’t know what George is asking for, and it sounds like the agent is in the wrong. It should already be clear what they’re seeking, and they should have been more aggressive in finding trade partners. You’re mistaken if you think no offers mean he hasn’t set his market yet—offers are made regardless of the player’s demands. The Cowboys would listen, and other teams would at least say what they’re willing to pay, showing his value. Right now, that value is the franchise tag, because no other offers have been made.

This is where you’re wrong—there’s no market, Lou. Show me the market. And if you keep saying he hasn’t come out and said what he wants, whose fault is that? Yeah, we’re going to blame the agent again. David doesn’t know what he’s doing—he likes to play games, toying with George, the Cowboys, and the rest of the league. If he hasn’t announced any starting parameters for what he’s looking for, that wouldn’t just get swept under the rug in Dallas. The national media, local media, and all over social media, people would know if any of this had been discussed. If it hasn’t, whose fault is that? Once again, it’s about communication. Maybe George should lie on a table somewhere, issue a Twitter demand to be traded, or act the fool so he can get paid instead of being professional and telling us what he wants. George, sign the tag and tell us what you want.

Funny how you think they’re holding this up on purpose waiting on other contracts to be signed, and yet Jerry always gets blamed for not getting deals done. Sounds like, once again, this is the agent’s fault.

 

[LouBrown]

Look, I’m telling you, you’re wrong. You’re no expert, Lou. I know you’re on Twitter and think you know what you’re talking about, but you’re barking up the wrong tree. George hasn’t been on a team and carried them, hasn’t won a Super Bowl, and hasn’t done anything special without Prescott and Lamb backing him up. He hasn’t proven himself like JSN or Puka. The fact is, he hasn’t gotten a single offer—nothing. How do you know the league thinks like you? The proof is right there: if they wanted him, they’d make an offer. Name one time a team came to the Cowboys saying, “Here’s a first-rounder for George.” That hasn’t happened. And with the Cowboys, no story gets buried, even fake ones. You’re wrong. The league has spoken, and they’ve shown zero interest in George Pickens.

None have done that because they can't lol

You can blather on all you want but you misunderstanding the context.

 

[blueblood70]

Dallas either needs to trade GP draft night or extend him.
GP probably should have signed the tag first day offered to ensure he could not be traded and get to true free agency next off-season with millions already in the bank.

He can’t be traded until he signs the tag. Teams can make trade offers, but Dallas doesn’t have the rights to trade him right now because he’s in limbo. That’s the point, if he doesn’t think he can get his money here, why not sign the tag, make his demands clear, and let teams start bidding? He’s holding up the process, and his agent is once again playing games.

This is the perfect time for him to sign the tag, find out which teams want him, and set his value. I think he knows he doesn’t want to face the truth because, so far, there hasn’t been a single offer of any kind. Offers don’t have to match the tag terms, Dallas can reject anything less than 2 1sts, but teams could still try with less draft capital to see if the Cowboys would consider it.

None of that has happened, which says a lot about how the league views George Pickens right now. That could change in the future, but at the moment, no one is making a move.