The George Pickens saga is far from over, but Dallas Cowboys fans undoubtedly exhaled when he signed the franchise tag tender on Wednesday.
It was reported right before the NFL Draft last Thursday that Pickens would sign the tag. For whatever reason, that dragged out nearly a week, prompting speculation about a potential draft-day trade. Nothing materialized, however, and Dallas has reinforced that it has no intentions of trading him.
Nobody expected Pickens to sign the tag until the summer, raising the question of why he signed it already.
In his post-draft playbook, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler speculated whether the Cowboys' interest in drafting a wide receiver factored into Pickens' decision. Even though Pickens has signed the tag, Fowler expects more drama to unfold in the future.
"The team was high on Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson. Did the threat of taking a receiver high play a role in George Pickens agreeing to sign his franchise tag hours before the draft? Hard to know for certain, but it's not out of the realm of possibilities. This feels far from over."
The Dallas Cowboys may have outsmarted George Pickens before he signed the franchise tag
"This feels far from over."
Again, the Cowboys have been adamant that they don’t want to trade Pickens. Their interest in Tyson, which ramped up during draft week, may have incentivized Pickens to sign the tag and avoid an offseason of drama that could further damage his perception around the league.
Stephen Jones announced before the draft that Pickens would play on the franchise tag, axing any possibility of the two sides agreeing to a long-term deal. The team wants to see Pickens show more accountability before giving him a big contract, as he was reportedly fined multiple times during the 2025 season for showing up late to team meetings.
It wouldn't be shocking if Jerry Jones thought he was being tricky by playing the Tyson card. But Pickens had to know what was going on. After all, he's represented by David Mulugheta, one of the most powerful and experienced sports agents in the game. He's seen it all.
Mulugheta and Pickens don't have much leverage here. Assuming their ultimate goal is for Pickens to become one of the highest-paid WRs in the NFL, signing the tag early was the right call. Every decision the All-Pro makes between now and next March should be geared toward that.
Signing the tag and reporting for mandatory minicamp in June and training camp in July — even if he skips voluntary workouts — would send a strong message to Dallas and the rest of the league.
However, there is a belief that Pickens could demand a trade if he doesn't get a new deal. Signing the tag brings a sense of normalcy, but normalcy only lasts so long in Dallas.
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