The reason Dallas Cowboys fans are so pessimistic every offseason is that they are handed the same script every single year. As sure as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, contract drama has become an annual fixture in North Texas.
Amazingly, things have been different this time around. The Cowboys franchise-tagged George Pickens and quickly made it clear they won’t negotiate an extension until next offseason, putting the ball squarely in Pickens’ court to sign and report.
While Pickens signed the tender, he did not show up for the team's Tuesday workout. It was voluntary, but it had a high attendance, and Pickens would have put a lot of the chatter to rest by showing up.
Speaking of formalities, Dak Prescott was asked about Pickens' absence at the Cowboys' annual Reliant Home Run Derby on Thursday -- shortly after Dallas' 2026 schedule was unveiled, and he went to bat for his teammate (bad pun very much intended).
“I’m just showing George my support. The guy that I know George is — obviously he signed the tag, so when he has to be there and ready to play, he’s going to be there. He’s a hell of a talent. We've thrown this offseason, so I'm comfortable where he's at and excited when he can get in the building and get rolling.”
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott defends George Pickens after skipped a voluntary workout
Is it possible that Prescott got better at answering questions from reporters? Talk about turning down the thermostat on a teammate who's taking some heat.
Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up this week, Troy Aikman commended Prescott for how he’s handled having two star receivers. Spreading the ball around keeps everyone happy, but Prescott also understands the importance of managing personalities off the field.
Prescott was supportive of CeeDee Lamb during his 2024 training camp holdout while waiting for Jerry Jones to make a serious contract offer. He took the same approach with Micah Parsons before that situation unraveled, and he’s doing it again with Pickens.
Pickens, though, is a rare case where the onus doesn't fall on Jones. By tagging Pickens early and being upfront about not negotiating an extension this offseason, the Cowboys have done their part to avoid drama. Shocking, we know, but it's the truth.
In a vacuum, it’s not a big deal that Pickens wasn’t on the field Tuesday. He doesn’t have to report until the first practice of mandatory minicamp on June 16, and he can skip all of OTAs, which begin June 1, without facing any fines.
Whether that's the prudent decision is another story, however. The franchise tag will pay Pickens $27 million guaranteed in 2026, putting him in the top 15 of the highest-paid WRs. If he's serious about challenging for a record-setting deal in '27, he needs to show Dallas that he can be counted on.
Talent can get anyone paid, but the Cowboys are serious about investing in players who create fireworks on the field and lead by example. The latter has not been Pickens' M.O. since he entered the league.
Prescott's response will quiet the noise for now. Hopefully, it resonated with Pickens and he'll be in the building when OTAs begin.
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