What would a George Pickens contract be like in 2026?

[Aliencowboy]

With what Pickens has averaged - 4 years 102 million 25.3 per according to Spotrac -

with some Star boost this year 27 mill and 108 mill

Lamb is at 136 million 4 years 34 mill per

61 million at WR
60 at QB
40 at DE

For comparison

Chase 161 mill 4 years
Higgins 115 mill 4 years.

Looks like a good deal for a 1000 yard receiver

 

[IceStar-D7]

Depends on what he does in 2025......

 

[Reality]

At this point there are way too many unknown variables to predict what type of contract offer, if any, the Cowboys will make to Pickens in 2026.

My only hope is they avoid offering him one this season and let him show he deserves one from the Cowboys.

The best strategy Pickens can follow is to come in, accept his WR2 role and focus on playing well and helping the Cowboys win a lot of games.

If he does that then the Cowboys along with plenty of other teams will be lining up to sign him.

 

[Kwyn]

He’s the most purely talented player we’ve traded for since, hell, Charles Haley? Galloway? He’s got more talent than Amari.

As to free agents, you’d probably have to go back to TO.

We complain about Jerry never making a move for big time talent. Well, this is big time talent.

Now we see what happens

 

[big dog cowboy]

Depends on what he does in 2025......

It's really that simple. What he does on and on the field this year (much more than the past) determines what kind of new deal he is look at.

 

[speedkilz88]

If you were willing to give him 4 yr $25 million avg. right now it would be an extension and then with this years $3.656 million it would avg. out under 21 million.

Which is the whole point about not signing their star players early hurts them salary cap wise.

 

[visionary]

At this point there are way too many unknown variables to predict what type of contract offer, if any, the Cowboys will make to Pickens in 2026.

My only hope is they avoid offering him one this season and let him show he deserves one from the Cowboys.

The best strategy Pickens can follow is to come in, accept his WR2 role and focus on playing well and helping the Cowboys win a lot of games.

If he does that then the Cowboys along with plenty of other teams will be lining up to sign him.

He will “try” but it will unravel in the second half if he is not getting the targets

 

[Pass2Run]

He’s the most purely talented player we’ve traded for since, hell, Charles Haley? Galloway? He’s got more talent than Amari.

As to free agents, you’d probably have to go back to TO.

We complain about Jerry never making a move for big time talent. Well, this is big time talent.

Now we see what happens

Exactly.

It's why I wonder where the "move the needle" crowd is.

But, yeah, to me I think you just sign the guy. No risk. You know what you have. Damn good player.

 

[Flamma]

If you were willing to give him 4 yr $25 million avg. right now it would be an extension and then with this years $3.656 million it would avg. out under 21 million.

Which is the whole point about not signing their star players early hurts them salary cap wise.

I cannot stress the point above enough. If he ends up being the WR we want him to be, he's going to want 35M a year. Dallas probably won't pay that. Which makes him a 1 year rental, pretty much invalidating the reason for the trade to begin with.

Cap wise they have to try to sign him this year. If it goes south, it's a lot less painful to back out of a contract averaging 21M a year than it is 35M a year.

 

[Kwyn]

I cannot stress the point above enough. If he ends up being the WR we want him to be, he's going to want 35M a year. Dallas probably won't pay that. Which makes him a 1 year rental, pretty much invalidating the reason for the trade to begin with.

Cap wise they have to try to sign him this year. If it goes south, it's a lot less painful to back out of a contract averaging 21M a year than it is 35M a year.

I’m looking forward to watching football.

The boards fixation on contracts and the cap, of which 95% of them have only the vaguest comprehension, is fuel for endless arguments but is ultimately just a timewaste.

 

[ATXSRT]

I cannot stress the point above enough. If he ends up being the WR we want him to be, he's going to want 35M a year. Dallas probably won't pay that. Which makes him a 1 year rental, pretty much invalidating the reason for the trade to begin with.

Cap wise they have to try to sign him this year. If it goes south, it's a lot less painful to back out of a contract averaging 21M a year than it is 35M a year.

Pickens also would need to want to sign a deal now. Who's to say he doesn't want to gamble on himself having a breakout year with us?

 

[Flamma]

Pickens also would need to want to sign a deal now. Who's to say he doesn't want to gamble on himself having a breakout year with us?

You're absolutely right. We have no idea. In fact, Pickens may have turned down an offer from Pittsburgh forcing them to trade him. Now we have that problem. That's a very real possibility.

 

[LovinItAll]

If you were willing to give him 4 yr $25 million avg. right now it would be an extension and then with this years $3.656 million it would avg. out under 21 million.

Which is the whole point about not signing their star players early hurts them salary cap wise.

I agree. Even reading this post, there's a lot of 'We'll see what he does this year', etc. That attitude is 100% why we end up spending more money. I'm not nearly as critical of the FO as many here are, but the waiting to sign players drives me nutty. I'm a Dak supporter because that's who we have, and there isn't another QB in sight capable of replacing his production at a discount, but the times we've waited to sign him have cost the Cowboys a fortune. Not just Dak, of course, but he's a prime example.

Yeah, the guy may be a diva, and he may have some other 'personality traits' that make him hard to deal with. Maybe he learns from his past, maybe not, but he's a talented WR, and those issues often go with the package for that position.

I'm just glad we have another legit threat at wideout. Barring injury, that problem is solved. On to the RB position now.

 

[BoyzBlaster]

I cannot stress the point above enough. If he ends up being the WR we want him to be, he's going to want 35M a year. Dallas probably won't pay that. Which makes him a 1 year rental, pretty much invalidating the reason for the trade to begin with.

Cap wise they have to try to sign him this year. If it goes south, it's a lot less painful to back out of a contract averaging 21M a year than it is 35M a year.

Bingo. It's like the Lance deal in that if you think ahead about the contractual aspects it's a bad trade.

 

[Landryhat73]

I cannot stress the point above enough. If he ends up being the WR we want him to be, he's going to want 35M a year. Dallas probably won't pay that. Which makes him a 1 year rental, pretty much invalidating the reason for the trade to begin with.

Cap wise they have to try to sign him this year. If it goes south, it's a lot less painful to back out of a contract averaging 21M a year than it is 35M a year.

If he signs with another team at close to $35 million we will be receiving a 3rd round comp pick in 2027. I now it’s a year later and at the end of the round but it’s not losing him for nothing after the rental.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

It's really that simple. What he does on and on the field this year (much more than the past) determines what kind of new deal he is look at.

This is pretty much it.........I'm not sure he can do anything/enough this season that would get him a top 5 contract. He could elevate his value enough to force Jerry's into a tough decision of a long-term deal OR a franchise tag.

 

[Ranching]

He will “try” but it will unravel in the second half if he is not getting the targets

He hates to lose....he doesn't sit around hoping to play bad and lose, just to rub it in Jerry's face. I hate guys like that....I bet you do too.

 

[JW82]

After his 75 catch 1200 yard 10td season JJ will give him 5 for 165. Which by next year will be a bargain.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Pickens also would need to want to sign a deal now. Who's to say he doesn't want to gamble on himself having a breakout year with us?

To be honest, his people have already leaked info similar to this. THIS is why I have said the Cowboys can use the franchise tag and have his service pretty cheap for 2 years

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Remember his talent isn't an issue at all. He needs to convince the league he can improve on all the OTHER ISSUES hanging over his head.