The first of potentially several George Pickens dominoes has fallen.
According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, the Dallas Cowboys have officially placed the franchise tag on their star wide receiver. Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports was first to report Friday that Dallas planned to tag Pickens. The timing makes sense, as all parties are gathered in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine.
The Cowboys had until March 3 to apply the tag, but this was always a matter of when, not if, as tagging Pickens guarantees he remains under team control through 2026.
The sides now have until July 15 to hammer out a long-term deal, and if the Combine was any indication, this negotiation could drag right up to the deadline, and potentially beyond.
The Dallas Cowboys are placing the franchise tag on WR George Pickens. They will have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. If they don’t, the tag on Pickens would be around $28 million for the 2026 season
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) February 27, 2026
The Dallas Cowboys have officially franchise-tagged George Pickens
Tagging Pickens also opens the door to a potential trade. That said, nothing co-owner Stephen Jones has said in Indy indicates Dallas has any desire to move him. And why would he? Breaking up arguably the best WR duo in football after the season Dak Prescott just had would be silly.
There is only one outcome here: Pickens will be in a Cowboys uniform next season. The only question is whether he plays on the franchise tag or a new deal worth north of $30 million per year.
Unfortunately, the former seems more likely at this juncture.
The Cowboys may want Pickens to prove that his All-Pro 2025 wasn't just the perfect storm of finally getting out of Pittsburgh and joining a prolific offense in a contract year.
Per Epstein, Pickens' off-field inconsistencies "give Dallas pause in offering a multiyear deal," even though he was less of a distraction with the Cowboys relative to his time in Pittsburgh.
"But he still missed curfew ahead of the Cowboys’ game in Las Vegas, prompting head coach Brian Schottenheimer to hold Pickens out of the first offensive series and part of the second. Lamb missed curfew with Pickens that night, too. And questions about his attendance and punctuality canvassed the season," Epstein wrote.
Those are valid concerns.
In a vacuum, it wouldn't be the end of the world if Pickens played 2026 on the franchise tag. While his AAV (annual average value) could climb closer to $40 million per year, it's not crazy if Dallas wants the former Georgia star to prove that 2025 wasn't an anomaly.
From Pickens’ perspective, he’s only 24 years old despite just completing his fourth NFL season. Even if he plays on the tag, he would still hit free agency at 25, a rarity for a wide receiver entering the open market. The risk isn't as daunting as it may seem.
At the end of the day, though, the Cowboys should just get a deal done. They have 138 days until the July 15 deadline -- more than enough time to put this distraction to rest.
But why would they make it easy?