FRISCO, Texas — George Pickens plans to sign the one-year franchise tag worth $27.3 million, ending the current contract question as the Dallas Cowboys begin their offseason program.
He has not yet signed the paperwork, but people familiar with the situation said he intends to accept the fully guaranteed, one-year deal. Those people spoke on condition of anonymity because the signing was not official.
The Cowboys had indicated they would not negotiate a long-term contract for Pickens this offseason. Signing the tag will let the 25-year-old take part in the team’s offseason activities starting Monday. It also means he can be fined if he misses mandatory minicamp in June or training camp in July.
The decision came just hours before the NFL draft. That timing stirred trade speculation, but executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones pushed back on any talk of moving Pickens. “We’ve got every reason in the world to believe that hopefully he’s ready to go to work,” Jones said after the first round of the draft. “But we have zero intention of moving George Pickens.”
Pickens joined the Cowboys last offseason in a trade with Pittsburgh. He set career highs last season with 93 catches, 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns while playing in one of the NFL’s top offenses. Dallas, however, finished 7-9-1 after another weak season on defense and missed the playoffs.
Pickens thrived alongside CeeDee Lamb, who is entering the second year of a four-year, $136 million contract with an average value of $34 million per season. The franchise tag offers Pickens a large, guaranteed payday compared with the $6.8 million he earned on his four-year rookie contract.
The Cowboys have used the franchise tag on players before. Quarterback Dak Prescott and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence both spent a season under the tag before signing long-term deals. Tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Tony Pollard played under the tag and then left in free agency the following year.
Jones said the “newness” of Pickens’ time with the team was a reason to stick with a one-year arrangement rather than a longer deal now. Pickens showed his talent over three seasons with the Steelers, but he also displayed moments that raised questions about his maturity. He and Lamb were benched for the first series in Las Vegas after missing curfew following a casino visit the night before the game.
Signing the tag would settle Pickens’ immediate status and let him join the Cowboys’ offseason work. The move keeps options open for both the player and the team as they head toward training camp and the regular season.
