Rumors Cowboys expected to use Franchise Tag on Pickens

[Rockport]

He can’t afford to be right now, and him being a headache is the reason he is in Dallas. Tomlin had enough.

Make no mistake, he’s a ticking time bomb for anyone that signs him longterm.

Aaah, he’s a headache but just not now. Got it.

 

[CATCH17]

He’s a top 7 WR. Maybe top 5.

He’s also the best 50/50 ball WR in the league.

So he will get big money.

 

[atlantacowboy]

We have to. There is no real choice. You can't let him hit the open market and get nothing.

 

[Creeper]

Is this going to turn Pickens into the jerk he was in Pittsburgh? If they tag him, I predict they will have to trade him next year.

 

[boysfanindc]

Where do you get $36 million over. Last I seen they were $36 million under, the 2nd highest in the NFL.

They are $35 million over 2026 cap, but easily corrected.

 

[KingCorcoran]

Obviously he can’t be tagged right now.

The whole thing would be dependent on his agent coming to terms with the other team before the trade is executed.

Neither of these changes anything about what I said. Tag him, find someone willing to trade for him (who would also obviously be willing to sign him to a contract) and move on.

Attempting to trade Pickens would require Jerry granting permission to another team to negotiate directly with Mulugheta. No team is going to give up anything significant without an extension agreed to first. If Jerry has any angst toward Mulugheta he’ll have to get past it.

There would be multiple suitors for Pickens. In effect, Mulugheta would have a degree of control in what trade the Cowboys could make. I don’t believe that scenario will appeal to Jerry. That best move is to sign Pickens to a contract commensurate with his skills. A lot of money invested in the quarterback. Do everything possible to get the most out of that investment.

 

[Robster8989]

So let go of your biggest weapon on offense to acquire a bunch of nobodies on defense? No bueno.

I think you misunderstood my post.
I didn't say let him go, I said sign him to an market deal, but don't tag him.
Tagging him will eat much of our cap space that we need to fill our many defensive holes. A 4/120 deal (like Amon Ra's), will keep his 2026 cap number at 6-8 mil, giving us room to also sign some defensive players.

 

[ScotsCowboy]

I'm in favor of an extension but how can Dallas have any idea what they are going to do with Pickens without ever having spoken to his agent?

His agent is Mulugheta. Neither of those parties is speaking to the other any time soon. It’s ludicrous, of course, but here we are…

 

[Hoofbite]

Attempting to trade Pickens would require Jerry granting permission to another team to negotiate directly with Mulugheta. No team is going to give up anything significant without an extension agreed to first. If Jerry has any angst toward Mulugheta he’ll have to get past it.

There would be multiple suitors for Pickens. In effect, Mulugheta would have a degree of control in what trade the Cowboys could make. I don’t believe that scenario will appeal to Jerry. That best move is to sign Pickens to a contract commensurate with his skills. A lot of money invested in the quarterback. Do everything possible to get the most out of that investment.

Why are you making this seem like an impossible hurdle? You’re fixating on the logistical stuff that happens with every trade and pretending it’s a large obstacle to overcome for this particular trade.

If Jerry has to give permission then do it. You tag him, put the word out that he’s on the block, and see who calls.

If you don’t like the idea then just say that. Stop acting like we’re trying to put a man on the moon. Trades happen all the time.

 

[KingCorcoran]

Why are you making this seem like an impossible hurdle? You’re fixating on the logistical stuff that happens with every trade and pretending it’s a large obstacle to overcome for this particular trade.

If Jerry has to give permission then do it. You tag him, put the word out that he’s on the block, and see who calls.

If you don’t like the idea then just say that. Stop acting like we’re trying to put a man on the moon. Trades happen all the time.

Stop acting like Jerry has the intelligence and managerial courage to make a trade ultimately beneficial to the Cowboys. He doesn’t.

 

[DandyDon52]

Well this is what they thought they could do with parsons lol
How did that work out?
Can you imagine a unhappy pickens, or he is pissed off or insulted ? He will go off the rails.

They need to talk to him about an extension, find out what he wants and go from there.............

 

[CT Dal Fan]

While I totally agree that they have no issue clearing a ton of cap space your 93M figure seems off.

Dak clears the most space of the 3. He has a $40M base salary next year and the rest of his cap hit is a proration from prior restructures and from his SB which can’t be restructured and moved back any further. So if you take the $40M down to $1M that’s $39M. If you spread it over the max 5 years and leave one fifth in 2026 that’s 4/5 you move out or $31M. Do the same with CeeDee and it’s $19M and Tyler it’s $18M. So between the 3 I get $68M which of course is still a lot. Plus they could restructure or extend Q Williams and restructure Osa, Ferguson and Bland, etc. they may also do something with Clark’s $21.5M cap hit. Cut him, restructure him, negotiate it down, not sure which but I’m betting they do something.

It's $68 million like you said with Dak, Lamb, and Smith. However the Cowboys can get it to $93 million by doing other things: restructuring Ferguson and Osa, cutting Diggs, Hooker, and Donovan Wilson, extending Quinnen Williams, and so on.

By some estimates they can even have over $100 million of space; which is plenty to franchise Pickens and make other moves. But they need to do it in 2026 because this window with Dak and several other players is closing quickly.

We also have to remember that the cap increases every year. The individual "hits" players like Dak and Lamb represent is going to drop because there will be more cap space to use.

 

[fivetwos]

The guy can play. No doubt whatsoever.

Dallas can find the money should they want to. It’s really a matter of how much is being spent coupled with Lamb and if they want to spend that much at that position. If they don’t, it means they thought this year was the final piece of an SB team. Think about that for a minute. Oh my.

Also, after being cheap at the position forever, they are now spending a ton at DT. I’m not complaining though, but the excuse is there.

Thing is, they still have to draft better than they actually DO for it to all work.

 

[SpaceCowboy99]

This is a dumb rumour and I can't believe you guys took it 6 pages discussing it. Way to early to discuss FT anyone. He could play like crap the rest of the season or get injured. We might need to FT someone else.

 

[TwistedL0g1k]

This would be a typical Jerry move. Two of the highest paid WR's in the NFL. Shiny things.

Great top line talent at the expense of depth. Nothing new, and we know how this works out.

 

[zekecowboy]

I'm in favor of an extension but how can Dallas have any idea what they are going to do with Pickens without ever having spoken to his agent?

Rumor has it Jerry doesn’t know the agent’s name.



Jerry knows the agents name. Since he got fleeced on the Micah Parsons trade he doesn't want to talk to him.

 

[zekecowboy]

This would be a typical Jerry move. Two of the highest paid WR's in the NFL. Shiny things.

Great top line talent at the expense of depth. Nothing new, and we know how this works out.

Merchandise sales going to Dallas. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Mark]

For the short term, I'd tag him and be done with it. Otherwise, they'll be screwing around with Pickens (and all the uncertainty surrounding a free-agent situation) until next August. A tag will also give the Cowboys more time to work on putting other pieces in place before committing to a long-term extension.

 

[gtb1943]

IF Natural Gas Man is ever going to go all in, this offseason should be it.
nuts to three or four years from now
put it all on the table; use up every draft choice, trades, every penny we can scrape up in FA.


The birds and Lions and others have shown that you can do this. The day of the dynasty lasting 20 years is pretty much over.
Go for the three year max; put everything into have a team that can compete for a championship for two or three years

if you have to go through cap purgatory for three years its worth it to be right there for a ring or two

 

[Chasing6]

Trade him to Tennessee. They are desperate for a WR to help Ward. They have the money and currently the number 1 overall pick.

Would you trade Pickens for the first pick in round 2?

Tennessee can trade back in round 1, they don't need a QB.

Rumor has it Jerry doesn’t know the agent’s name.



Jerry knows the agents name. Since he got fleeced on the Micah Parsons trade he doesn't want to talk to him.

Best trade since Herschel Walker.