Stephen: We will not have contract talks with Pickens

[BotchedLobotomy]

FO showing more and more they are idiots. And why they can’t build a winning roster.

They are already at #11 on Nigel Tufnel's guitar amp, so I don't know how much more idiots they can be.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Pickens hasn’t said a word about the situation. He’ll play on the tag. I doubt he’s happy about it, but he’ll collect all 18 of those checks.

Yeah hard to walk away from what 27 million

 

[Kwyn]

could Stephen be selling this hard to make teams for sure think we are going WR at #12? you have to admit that everyone in all of football nation knows we are going defense 100% at #12 and #20. That is despite Cowboys brass saying maybe WR blah blah blah, that isn't fooling anyone.

Maybe get teams drafting before us to think WR first or have teams wanting a WR to jump us so that way Downs/Styles has a better chance at falling...... It is a little drastic, but maybe we "hush hush' let Pickens know ahead of time whats up.

Why further poison your relationships with a player just for a pre draft bluff?

 

[Kwyn]

They are already at #11 on Nigel Tufnel's guitar amp, so I don't know how much more idiots they can be.

There’s always 12

 

[Kwyn]

you probably know the answer to this. (i tried searching and saw something about it but im not certain how it works.)

So if GP doesnt like this franchise tag, if he is willing to miss game checks...as long as he reports and signs by week 10, it'll count as a year toward free agency, correct?

Yes.

If he does that, it wouldn’t surprise me if Jerry didn’t call a press conference the next day and announce they were tagging him again

I mean, that’s already the plan.

At this point, I’m convinced they won’t ever negotiate with him in good faith

 

[BrassCowboy]

you probably know the answer to this. (i tried searching and saw something about it but im not certain how it works.)

So if GP doesnt like this franchise tag, if he is willing to miss game checks...as long as he reports and signs by week 10, it'll count as a year toward free agency, correct?

well he is technically a free agent until he signs his tag. tag prevents him from signing with anyone else. here is a quick google search that explains a little better:

If George Pickens does not sign his franchise tag by the July 15, 2026, deadline, several key consequences apply based on the 2026 NFL CBA and recent reports from the Dallas Cowboys:
Dallas Cowboys | Official Site of the Dallas Cowboys +4

• One-Year Deal Only: Pickens and the Cowboys are prohibited from signing a multi-year contract extension until after the 2026 regular season ends.
• Locked Into the Tag: He must play the 2026 season under the one-year, fully guaranteed tender, which is worth $27.298 million.
• Holdout Risk: Pickens can continue to sit out voluntary offseason activities, training camp, and preseason without being fined. However, he only receives that $27.3M salary if he signs the tag and plays during the season.
• Deadline to Sign: He must sign the tender by the Tuesday following Week 10 (roughly mid-November 2026) to be eligible to play at all for the 2026 season.
• No Long-Term Negotiations: The Cowboys have stated they will not negotiate a long-term deal with Pickens this year, and have halted talks.
• Potential Second Tag: If Pickens plays under the tag, the Cowboys can tag him again in 2027, with a 20% salary increase from his 2026

 

[DuncanIso]

you probably know the answer to this. (i tried searching and saw something about it but im not certain how it works.)

So if GP doesnt like this franchise tag, if he is willing to miss game checks...as long as he reports and signs by week 10, it'll count as a year toward free agency, correct?

I think after July 15, it’s sign or miss out on game $$$

Sign on Week 10 or out.

 

[GMO415]

Yawn. Franchise tag, shocker

 

[BrassCowboy]

Why further poison your relationships with a player just for a pre draft bluff?

well, if he were to tell Pickens its a bluff.... just something I am throwing out there

 

[DuncanIso]

well no way Pickens doesn't sign his franchise tag or holdout games, costs way too much money and it ruins careers.

GP can definitely jack up any trade plans Jerry might have.

 

[BrassCowboy]

I think after July 15, it’s sign or miss out on game $$$

Sign on Week 10 or out.

yeah, he can't play and earn checks til he signs. he must sign by week 10 or he loses out all years money

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

There has been no phone calls inquiring about Pickens. Which means no reason to trade him and no reason to pay him what his Agent wants.

It is in Pickens best interest to build off last seasons stats.

Probably true about that, but one would think that maybe Stephen would be proactive and call some teams as well?

 

[Bobhaze]

Because Pickens is almost guaranteed to sit out until games start. The media frenzy during camp will be nothing but drama.

Yeah, I’m not sure many realize that almost no player who uses David Mulugheta as their agent plays a season on the tag. They either get an extension or get traded.

A few years ago Mulugheta’s client Jalen Ramsey was designated on a franchise tag by his original team - the jags. Ramsey ended up being traded to the rams.

The only two of the clients under Mulugheta I know of that have played on the tag most recently are two bengal players:

• Tee Higgins in 2024 - BUT…he changed agents before agreeing to be tagged. So there’s that.
• Jesse Bates III in 2022 - he skipped all the off-season programs and didn’t show up to camp until late August.

Bottom line - SJ can talk tag all day. It does not mean that George Pickens is going to fully cooperate.

 

[Coogiguy03]

He has to sign his FT contract first.

Then he can be traded.

By not signing, he can effectively block a trade.

Shouldn't he want to sign it so he can get the hell out of this circus??

 

[ErikWilliamsHeadSlap]

They simply want power over this agent for a change. Pickens is just collateral damage. I thought I read that he has never had a client play umder the tag.

 

[Praxit]

....like Steph says, "26' is up to GP". Has another good year, I see possible extension.

So much will happen, until then.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Yeah, I’m not sure many realize that almost no player who uses David Mulugheta as their agent plays a season on the tag. They either get an extension or get traded.

A few years ago Mulugheta’s client Jalen Ramsey was designated on a franchise tag by his original team - the jags. Ramsey ended up being traded to the rams.

The only two of the clients under Mulugheta I know of that have played on the tag most recently are two bengal players:

• Tee Higgins in 2024 - BUT…he changed agents before agreeing to be tagged. So there’s that.
• Jesse Bates III in 2022 - he skipped all the off-season programs and didn’t show up to camp until late August.

Bottom line - SJ can talk tag all day. It does not mean that George Pickens is going to fully cooperate.

When you look at it what is the player getting out of this by not doing this, just they're way of sticking it to the organization?? I always worry about when they do come back injuries and cohesion they've missed from being out

 

[Chasing6]

Probably true about that, but one would think that maybe Stephen would be proactive and call some teams as well?

That would show a sign of weakness and we would get less value.

 

[baltcowboy]

and Dez and CeeDee and Micah and Zeke

No disrespect to those guys but Emmitt and Michael are all timers and on the Cowboys player Mount Rushmore.

 

[Kwyn]

The timing on this is just ridiculous

This is why we can’t have nice things like a normal draft week