For months now, the George Pickens contract situation has been one which Dallas Cowboys fans have had every right to be anxious about. Whether we're talking before Pickens signed his franchise tag or all the way up until present day, things are still a little uncertain.
Speaking of present day, Pickens hosted a pair of youth football camps on Thursday while the Cowboys were wrapping up OTAs. Nick Harris of the Star Telegram was able to catch Pickens and ask him if he planned on being at Cowboys mandatory minicamp which starts June 16.
As Harris wrote (paywall), Pickens "gave a shrug" and simply said, "uhhhh" before a representative of his stopped Pickens and said he wouldn't be answering questions.
As much of a non-answer that may be, it is right on par with what's been going on between he and the Cowboys. In short, nobody knows.
George Pickens' 1-word response to a Cowboys minicamp question sums up his entire situation in Dallas
To begin the month of June, Pickens was a no-show at Cowboys voluntary OTAs. He would go on to miss all of them. That didn't necessarily come as a surprise for a player who clearly desires a long-term contract and hasn't gotten it.
But, when it comes to mandatory practices beginning in just a few days, that's where fans might start to get nervous if Pickens doesn't show up.
Of course, this isn't to say that Pickens isn't planning to attend.
To be clear, Pickens' non-answer could mean anything. He might very well have gone on to say he planned to be there. We don't know.
But, the simple shrug sort of tells us that Pickens still might not be thrilled with his situation. And, who is to blame him?
He gets to make over $27 million this season on the franchise tag, but isn't guaranteed a thing in Dallas beyond 2026. At this point, who knows if Pickens is even in Dallas beyond the coming season?
From what we saw last year, both Pickens and Cowboys fans alike would love to see him stick around on a long-term deal. But, as we found out earlier this offseason when Jerry and Stephen Jones held their press conference, the Cowboys are not going to give him a long-term contract this offseason.
What's worth noting is the idea that the Cowboys could end up getting a long-term contract done next offseason. That'd be a positive for all sides except maybe the Jones's.
If Pickens goes out and has another stellar season in 2026, then his price goes way up. That's a given. But, if he blows 2026 out of the water, production-wise, how could the Cowboys possibly let him go?
What happens if the Cowboys win the division, make the playoffs and even make a little run in the postseason? Pickens is undoubtedly a big part of that, if it were to happen.
Could Dallas really let him go next year? Or would they fool around with the franchise tag again?
It's a delicate situation all around, and one that doesn't seem like it's going to get any resolution until ... well, next offseason, unfortunately.
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