Stephen Jones on Pickens

[ElGatoGrande]

Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch (too late) let's consider that anything said by the front office will have a bit of negotiating gamesmanship folded into their comments.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

This front office only cares about a future they don’t have. The only team that is concerned with next years pie when pie is available this year.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch (too late) let's consider that anything said by the front office will have a bit of negotiating gamesmanship folded into their comments.

I agree but no one wants to hear from him. As a fanbase we shouldn’t have to hear him.

 

[Kwyn]

The thing is though they signed Bland, Osa and Ferg. And their play isn’t irreplaceable. Stephen is just talking. All him and his dad does. No matter what he says the rebuttal is always the Eagles did it. Are the Eagless playing under a different salary cap? If not either do better or hire someone who can. It’s tiresome and pathetic.

Well, when being a Razorback is the most important qualification …

Our guy who handles the cap and contracts

Prior to working with the Cowboys, he was a coaching assistant and equipment manager at the University of Arkansas (1999-02). He served as a mechanical engineering intern at DuPont (1998-99) and Cromwell Architects and Engineers (1998).

He earned his degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.


Their guy who handles cap and contracts

He was originally hired as the director of football operations and strategy in 2023 after a 14-year tenure (2009-23) at Goldman Sachs, where he last served as a managing director and the head of U.S. loan trading.

He played collegiately as a wide receiver at Princeton, where he was voted a team captain as a senior. He graduated cum laude from Princeton and received a bachelor's degree in economics while minoring in political economy and African American studies

 

[Praxit]

...I think Stephen and Jones will pay what GP deserves.

26' will huge for the team. This could be that ONE year to make or break.

Should Dallas get to NFCCG or SB. Then THEY will know the chips are in place, PAY THE MAN>

 

[dfense]

It might be the best path is to trade Lamb and keep Pickens. It's been pretty universal that Pickens was not just the best WR in camp, but the best player on the team, period. If that continues, it would be the height of stupidity to let him go unless you're getting great compensation.

Without Ceedee, Pickins might not have had the numbers he did.

 

[youngjerryjones]

They’re gonna screw him again, as expected.

There was never a chance they were going to actually give him a contract. They’ll tag him again and try to milk a third year of his prime without him ever getting a long-term deal.

And before all of the crying about “he’s getting paid millions”, yeah, he is. Thats the way it works for elite professional athletes. But GP has the misfortune to play for Jerry and Stephen, who are gonna ride him like the rented mule they see him as. Any other team and the man would have had a new deal in March.

And you know what we’ll hear? We’ll hear all of the whispers and lies starting up as soon as the season ends. Jane, Broaddus, and Fish will start leaking stories of drama coming out of the side of Stephen’s mouth, and the usual laundry-lovers will pick up the Cowboys banner to slag Pickens all over social media.

The Cowboys have a 30-year history of fighting dirty. The only reason they didn’t do it this year is because they let GP believe the lie that they actually wanted him long-term and he took the high ground, Next year, though, when they know it’s gonna get ugly after they tag him again, the knives will be out and the front office will do their dirt.

The cautionary tale of Dez, the scam-artist fixer and thief the team forced on him, and the fake Walmart videotape they held over his head in the middle of negotiations, shows the real Jerry and Stephen.

I hate them. I really do. Just awful people.

I get what you're saying but when you look at the guarantee's go ask Gemini on google how this works. Ceedee Lamb would have collected 100M over years of contract obligations (5) years which is a 4 year extension. GP would have collected 60M in GTD money within 2 years.

The only risk here is GP gets hurt, and then he will definitely end up signing here on a team friendly contract. For all you guys thinking we're "snaking" the player are wrong. GP is technically racking up way more GTD money this way, on a transition tag this year remember no one wanted to trade or pay for him.

 

[dupree89]

for me, its not even about does pickens stay or go. Its about how does stephen jones' comment benefit the 2026 Cowboys? Please someone explain to me how his statement will have a positive effect as the team gears up for a new season.

 

[visionary]

Eagles did it, Bengals did it....

If you have to give the example of the Bengals, youve lost the argument

Eagles cut their losses though they have the best GM in the NFL and were able to build their roster with a lot of trades and draft picks

No team except the Eagles have won a SB in last 10 years paying 2 WRs top 10

One of them has to leave after this season

 

[Whyjerry]

Negotiation a 365/24 thing for Stephen "Nepobaby" Jones.

 

[Whyjerry]

for me, its not even about does pickens stay or go. It's about how does stephen jones' comment benefit the 2026 Cowboys? Please someone explain to me how his statement will have a positive effect as the team gears up for a new season.

It doesn't at all. Frankly I am shocked Pickens has made it easy on that meatball sandwich of a human.

 

[Kwyn]

for me, its not even about does pickens stay or go. Its about how does stephen jones' comment benefit the 2026 Cowboys? Please someone explain to me how his statement will have a positive effect as the team gears up for a new season.

The Jones boys can’t help it.

Jerry loves the limelight and adoration of the fans on the biggest of stages. Stephen needs for everyone to think he’s the smartest guy in the room who never loses a negotiation.

Should have seen this coming

Now the next news cycle is exert penny ante blogger and podcaster with a press pass trying to bait Pickens into responding

I’m convinced it’s part of their actual strategy of negotiating their contacts in the public eye and see their media reach as a competitive advantage.

They know that most regular fans side with the brand over any player and stir the pot whenever they cans

 

[Nova]

I'm not sure why he has to share that going into the season. Even being asked the question, you can avoid answering it.

That’s my biggest takeaway. These guys need to stop doing interviews because they put information out there that doesn’t really need to be out there.

 

[HungryLion]

What’s hilarious is. Recently there’s been articles and discussion about how things will be different and maybe better when Jerry is gone and Stephen runs things.


Then a few days later he does an interview and lies directly and blatantly to the fans about their cap situation.

Hilarious

 

[fivetwos]

I get what you're saying but when you look at the guarantee's go ask Gemini on google how this works. Ceedee Lamb would have collected 100M over years of contract obligations (5) years which is a 4 year extension. GP would have collected 60M in GTD money within 2 years.

The only risk here is GP gets hurt, and then he will definitely end up signing here on a team friendly contract. For all you guys thinking we're "snaking" the player are wrong. GP is technically racking up way more GTD money this way, on a transition tag this year remember no one wanted to trade or pay for him.

He can afford to accept the situation due to his age. Right…only risk is injury, and the liability is currently on him.

He can probably even deal with it next year also and hit FA at age 27 after banking over 60m for the last two years.

Wouldn’t blame him if he doesn’t accept that though and it shouldn’t exist; but that’s what they bargained for.

 

[JW82]

Figure it out cap boy.

 

[diamonddelts]

Hmmmm. Keep the top 3 best wr in the league with elite ball tracking skills. The faster, younger athlete who has the capability to make great contested catches in big pressure moments.

Or keep Sir-Drop-A-Lot aka Stone Hands who was tied in sixth place for most drops in the league in 2025. A slower, older, injury prone wide receiver shown to fail you in the biggest of moments.

Wow such a hard decision. But I'm sure the horrible Dallas Nepobabyboomer/Crypt Keeper Front office will mess it up.

 

[Bullflop]

Based on my impression of what Stephen is likely using to negotiate with as their bargaining basis of their gross wages is using their net income after deductions, rather than total income. If that's his basis for negotiations, it reflects an enormous difference to their total income.

Of course, that's an assumption on my part. There's a huge difference between net income and gross income. Reporting net income is a mistake typical of amateurs, surely not expert negotiators. Stephen knows better than to try such a thing if that's his negotiating habit. That's just a guess, though.

 

[Whirlwin]

He said difficult not impossible

This forum, they hear what they want to hear, they read what they want to read, words don’t have much meaning to some people lol