If Flournoy has a dynamic season, does it affect Pickens being here long term?

[Coogiguy03]

Something to think about if Flo has an amazing year, building off some of the good he did this previous season. Does this affect Pickens long term, and Flo can end up being our #2? I know it's early and I'm not trying to crown Flo or down Pickens, it's just a thought! Please give your input

 

[DallasEast]

1. Salary cap management
2. How he continues to fit in with the franchise
3. How well he continues performing at a high level

All of the above will determine how long George Pickens remains on the roster.

 

[Reality]

The reality is the Cowboys will not commit to paying huge contracts to two high contract receivers.

They will do it this year because they actually save several million with the franchise tag and they want to put the focus on the defense this year instead of changing up the offensive skill positions.

Next year, the Cowboys will know one of two things .. They will know if having two high paid receivers helped them win a Super Bowl or not and they will know how good Flournoy is and whether he is ready to take that #2 slot next year.

Either way, I think if Pickens has a great 2026 season, he will end up with a high paying contract from another team next year.

The Cowboys will franchise tag him in that case but they will do so intent on trading his rights unlike this year when they were fine just paying him the tag price.

Pickens will get a huge raise this year and if he replicates his 2025 season, he will get a huge contract next season from another team.

The Cowboys will get draft pick(s) in return and everyone will be happy.

The only way I see Pickens playing for the Cowboys in 2027 is if for some reason he accepts a team-friendly contract (and why would he?) or something serious happens to Lamb near the end of the 2026 season.

 

[JoeKing]

GP won't be here long term anyway, but yeah, if we can pay Flo cheap, we won't need GP.

 

[LouBrown]

GP won't be here long term anyway, but yeah, if we can pay Flo cheap, we won't need GP.

If Flournoy is good enough to justify walking away from Pickens, Flournoy isn't going to be cheap. He's also a lot older than Pickens.

Giving Pickens a 4-year deal that now takes him to age 29 is a lot better than giving Flournoy a 4-year deal starting in 2028 that takes him to 32

Not extending Pickens now remains the absolute worst strategy.

 

[MarcusRock]

The reality is the Cowboys will not commit to paying huge contracts to two high contract receivers.

They will do it this year because they actually save several million with the franchise tag and they want to put the focus on the defense this year instead of changing up the offensive skill positions.

Next year, the Cowboys will know one of two things .. They will know if having two high paid receivers helped them win a Super Bowl or not and they will know how good Flournoy is and whether he is ready to take that #2 slot next year.

Either way, I think if Pickens has a great 2026 season, he will end up with a high paying contract from another team next year.

The Cowboys will franchise tag him in that case but they will do so intent on trading his rights unlike this year when they were fine just paying him the tag price.

Pickens will get a huge raise this year and if he replicates his 2025 season, he will get a huge contract next season from another team.

The Cowboys will get draft pick(s) in return and everyone will be happy.

The only way I see Pickens playing for the Cowboys in 2027 is if for some reason he accepts a team-friendly contract (and why would he?) or something serious happens to Lamb near the end of the 2026 season.

Yeah, Pickens is gone after this year. If Flournoy does well he gets put into that slot by default, and even that depends on how he did well (did he fill in for one of the top 2 for 6+ weeks and balled out every game or was just a solid #3 all year?). Shouldn't stop the team from looking at other #2 options in the off-season, hopefully.

 

[Nova]

For me, if Flournoy looks like a pretty good WR2, you have to let Pickens go and use those resources to continue bolstering the trenches or LB position.

By then we'll have an even clearer picture of what we lack.

 

[LouBrown]

For me, if Flournoy looks like a pretty good WR2, you have to let Pickens go and use those resources to continue bolstering the trenches or LB position.

By then we'll have an even clearer picture of what we lack.

Use what resources? Pickens will only get cheaper. They have a ton of cap space right now if they want it.

If you let him go, you are creating a hole that requires either significant draft capital or significant dollars on another player.

 

[big dog cowboy]

it's just a thought!

Trust me. No one asked.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Either way, I think if Pickens has a great 2026 season, he will end up with a high paying contract from another team next year.

The Cowboys will franchise tag him in that case but they will do so intent on trading his rights unlike this year when they were fine just paying him the tag price.

I'm so torn. Watching him leave won't be easy. Probably comes down to what they can get for him. If Jerry can somehow get a 1st for him that would make a big difference.

 

[AstroPilota]

If both Pickens and Lamb play to their expecations this season, it's going to be difficult to evaluate Flo fairly, there just isn't enough balls to go around. But I agree with Reality on how I think this goes down.

 

[Reality]

I'm so torn. Watching him leave won't be easy. Probably comes down to what they can get for him. If Jerry can somehow get a 1st for him that would make a big difference.

As I said last year .. If had to choose one of them, Lamb or Pickens, on a game winning drive, I would choose Lamb. If I had to choose one to play the entire game, I would choose Pickens.

I think that's why it makes it feel better when both are on the field. It's not two Lambs or two Pickens. They are different receivers and it seems like their strengths and weaknesses are offset by each other.

That said, it is just not smart to pay huge contracts to two receivers so I don't see the Cowboys doing that next year.

A one-year discounted franchise tag contract is one thing, but next year the franchise tag for Pickens will increase by several million so that will make it less beneficial to keep him on the tag even if he would play on it, and as I said all offseason, I don't think he will in 2027 nor should he.

The Cowboys will be fine with the picks they get from franchise tagging him before trading him. Pickens will get his contract with another team. Boths sides will be happy and fine moving on.

It should be fun to watch 2026 though with both Lamb and Pickens on the field and the new hopefully improved and exciting defense the Cowboys introduce this year.

 

[Nova]

Use what resources? Pickens will only get cheaper. They have a ton of cap space right now if they want it.

If you let him go, you are creating a hole that requires either significant draft capital or significant dollars on another player.

Not sure I follow-- how would Pickens get cheaper than not being on the roster?

And the hole that's being filled is just Flournoy's in this scenario because, Flournoy would be replacing Pickens.

 

[shabazz]

I'm so torn. Watching him leave won't be easy. Probably comes down to what they can get for him. If Jerry can somehow get a 1st for him that would make a big difference.

Many of us are used to seeing dynasties so our mentality is locking up great players long term and Pickens is the type I would have liked to lock up long term.....in the past

Perhaps the new NFL way is to do business like the Rams and Eagles do and just shoot the wad for one Championship appearance at a time and not look beyond it

My thought is to franchise Pickens 1 more season because if the defense isnt top tier in 2027, it may never be.

Go all in, in this 2 year reboot and after 2027 Pickens may have served his purpose.

 

[Reid1boys]

Something to think about if Flo has an amazing year, building off some of the good he did this previous season. Does this affect Pickens long term, and Flo can end up being our #2? I know it's early and I'm not trying to crown Flo or down Pickens, it's just a thought! Please give your input

What would you consider a "Dynamic season?" As the clear number 3, if Lamb and Pickens stay healthy, I could see maybe 40 catches, 600 yards.... 3-4 Tds? Would you say that would be a good season for the teams number 3?

If that is what he does, and pickens goes for 80 catches, 1200 yards and 8 TDs, it will have ZERO impact on Pickens.

 

[LouBrown]

Not sure I follow-- how would Pickens get cheaper than not being on the roster?

And the hole that's being filled is just Flournoy's in this scenario because, Flournoy would be replacing Pickens.

Against the cap. He's currently at $27m. He probably wouldn't hit that number until the the third year, depending on how they structure it.

But Flournoy is only under contract in 2027. So you'd immediately end up either paying or replacing him too.

Effectively, you'd be losing Pickens for one year of cap relief.

 

[Stash]

 

[Coogiguy03]

1. Salary cap management
2. How he continues to fit in with the franchise
3. How well he continues performing at a high level

All of the above will determine how long George Pickens remains on the roster.

Can we manage a solid team with him breaking the bank?? While you already have a guy making big bucks at that spot?

From now he seems fine, is it really him or him trying to be good to get the big big contract?

What if defenses begin to attempt to limit the big play from him and double him? Yes Lamb can benefit from it and flo

The reality is the Cowboys will not commit to paying huge contracts to two high contract receivers.

They will do it this year because they actually save several million with the franchise tag and they want to put the focus on the defense this year instead of changing up the offensive skill positions.

Next year, the Cowboys will know one of two things .. They will know if having two high paid receivers helped them win a Super Bowl or not and they will know how good Flournoy is and whether he is ready to take that #2 slot next year.

Either way, I think if Pickens has a great 2026 season, he will end up with a high paying contract from another team next year.

The Cowboys will franchise tag him in that case but they will do so intent on trading his rights unlike this year when they were fine just paying him the tag price.

Pickens will get a huge raise this year and if he replicates his 2025 season, he will get a huge contract next season from another team.

The Cowboys will get draft pick(s) in return and everyone will be happy.

The only way I see Pickens playing for the Cowboys in 2027 is if for some reason he accepts a team-friendly contract (and why would he?) or something serious happens to Lamb near the end of the 2026 season.

I freaking love this post!! I don't see it happening either, what's the benefit if there's so Superbowl it's winning us. It's better off being put elsewhere, hopefully get some draft capitol in a trade

If Flournoy is good enough to justify walking away from Pickens, Flournoy isn't going to be cheap. He's also a lot older than Pickens.

Giving Pickens a 4-year deal that now takes him to age 29 is a lot better than giving Flournoy a 4-year deal starting in 2028 that takes him to 32

Not extending Pickens now remains the absolute worst strategy.

Jeebus didn't know he was that old, didn't we just draft flo a few years ago??

Many of us are used to seeing dynasties so our mentality is locking up great players long term and Pickens is the type I would have liked to lock up long term.....in the past

Perhaps the new NFL way is to do business like the Rams and Eagles do and just shoot the wad for one Championship appearance at a time and not look beyond it

My thought is to franchise Pickens 1 more season because if the defense isnt top tier in 2027, it may never be.

Go all in, in this 2 year reboot and after 2027 Pickens may have served his purpose.

Lol lol good point

 

[LouBrown]

Many of us are used to seeing dynasties so our mentality is locking up great players long term and Pickens is the type I would have liked to lock up long term.....in the past

Perhaps the new NFL way is to do business like the Rams and Eagles do and just shoot the wad for one Championship appearance at a time and not look beyond it

My thought is to franchise Pickens 1 more season because if the defense isnt top tier in 2027, it may never be.

Go all in, in this 2 year reboot and after 2027 Pickens may have served his purpose.

I don't disagree with that logic.

But tagging Pickens twice is handcuffing the idea of being "all in." If you extend him and create cap space, you then just have to eat dead money in a rebuild year anyway.

 

[big dog cowboy]

As I said last year .. If had to choose one of them, Lamb or Pickens, on a game winning drive, I would choose Lamb. If I had to choose one to play the entire game, I would choose Pickens.

I think that's why it makes it feel better when both are on the field. It's not two Lambs or two Pickens. They are different receivers and it seems like their strengths and weaknesses are offset by each other.

That said, it is just not smart to pay huge contracts to two receivers so I don't see the Cowboys doing that next year.

A one-year discounted franchise tag contract is one thing, but next year the franchise tag for Pickens will increase by several million so that will make it less beneficial to keep him on the tag even if he would play on it, and as I said offseason, I don't think he will in 2027 nor should he.

The Cowboys will be fine with the picks they get from franchise tagging him before trading him. Pickens will get his contract with another team. Boths sides will be happy and fine moving on.

It should be fun to watch 2026 thought with both Lamb and Pickens on the field and the new hopefully improved and exciting defense the Cowboys introduce this year.

Great post sir!

I just don't want the Cowboys to settle for a 3rd rounder for him.