Last offseason, the Dallas Cowboys stole George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Nobody knew what to expect from Pickens, and he erupted with 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. He also made his first Pro Bowl appearance, topping off a breakout season and an obvious decision to keep the All-Pro receiver for the future.
All of Pickens' Cowboys teammates want him back, and CeeDee Lamb has led that charge. The five-time Pro Bowler is on his way to becoming another Cowboys WR legend, and it didn't take him long to make friends with his new wideout. Lamb proved he wants the best for Pickens when he said he doesn't care if Pickens receives a bigger contract.
Despite Lamb's declaration, former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum stated the complete opposite on ESPN's Get Up on Tuesday.
"As soon as you sign George Pickens to any extension, guys, above $36 million, CeeDee Lamb's knocking on your door saying, wait a second, I'm at $36 million a year, I need a raise, so you may solve one problem and create another."
Mike Tannenbaum's take on CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens is utter nonsense
Lamb has been one of Pickens’ biggest supporters since he arrived in Dallas, and the two have been electric together on the field. With Lamb already content with his own deal, the focus for Jerry Jones should be clear: keep Pickens around for the long haul.
"Nah, I don't care about that," Lamb said. "I just want my man to get what he deserves. As for me, I know I'm good. I'm fine. Me and my family, we're straight, and I just want to compete at the highest level, and I want to compete for a ring.
As for GP, he's well-deserving. He deserves every penny that he gets. And if he gets more than me, I'm gonna congrats him on that."
In today’s NFL, it’s rare to see a teammate take one for the team. With Lamb embracing that mindset, the Cowboys have a clear opportunity to lock in Pickens and keep their dynamic offense rolling.
As expected, Pickens was franchise-tagged for the 2026 season. If a long-term deal is not reached by the July 15 deadline, a training camp holdout is a real possibility.
The ripple effect of Seahawks All-Pro WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s four-year, $168.8 million extension could benefit Pickens in the long run, and it’s possible Jones was waiting to see how the market settled. It’s great news for Pickens, but another reminder of Jones’ frustrating tendency to delay extensions for star players.
Still, even with Smith-Njigba’s new deal, Lamb isn’t concerned. He’s comfortable with his situation, proving that Tannenbaum has zero pulse on what's happening in Dallas.
That's nothing new.