George Pickens is still very much in the Cowboys’ plans. That part was made clear this week.
What is still unsettled is the contract.
Jerry Jones said Dallas has long-term plans for Pickens, even though there have not been any recent talks on a new deal. That leaves the Cowboys in an interesting spot. They are publicly saying the right things about one of their top playmakers, but the business side is still sitting there unfinished.
That is why this story matters.
The Cowboys already placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens earlier this offseason. That move gives Dallas control and buys time, but it does not eliminate the bigger question. If the two sides do not reach a long-term agreement by the July 15 deadline, then Pickens would have to play the 2026 season on the tag.
From the Cowboys’ point of view, none of this appears to be panic-worthy. Jones made it sound like a process the organization understands well. Dallas has been down this road before with major players, and the franchise tag has often been used as a bridge rather than an ending.
Still, fans know how these situations feel. A team can say all the right things, but until there is a signed deal, there is always going to be some tension around it.
What keeps this from feeling like a problem is everything else coming out of Dallas right now. Brian Schottenheimer said Pickens is training with Dak Prescott, and that matters. Chemistry between a quarterback and a receiver is not built by press conference quotes. It is built by actual work, and that part appears to be happening.
That should be encouraging for Cowboys fans.
This is not a case where the player feels distant from the team or disconnected from the offense. In fact, Schottenheimer made it sound like Pickens is very much viewed as a key part of what Dallas wants to do. He said the Cowboys have plans for Pickens to be in Dallas for a long time, which is about as direct as a head coach can be without announcing a contract himself.
There is one wrinkle, though, and it is worth paying attention to.
Because Pickens has not signed the tag, Schottenheimer said he does not have assurances that the receiver will take part in the voluntary offseason program. He also made it clear he is not pushing the issue. That is not a surprise. Voluntary work is voluntary, and there is no reason for either side to force a headline out of something that may resolve itself with time.
Even so, it is part of the story.
The Cowboys are trying to build momentum under Schottenheimer, and the more time Pickens spends around Dak Prescott and the offense, the better. That does not mean missing voluntary work would be some kind of crisis. It just means the sooner the contract situation is settled, the sooner the conversation can fully shift back to football.
And that is really where this stands today.
The Cowboys clearly want George Pickens. George Pickens appears to know he is wanted. Dak Prescott is already putting in work with him. The only thing missing right now is the deal that matches the tone coming from the organization.
Until that happens, this will remain one of the biggest Cowboys stories on the board.
What is still unsettled is the contract.
Jerry Jones said Dallas has long-term plans for Pickens, even though there have not been any recent talks on a new deal. That leaves the Cowboys in an interesting spot. They are publicly saying the right things about one of their top playmakers, but the business side is still sitting there unfinished.
That is why this story matters.
The Cowboys already placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens earlier this offseason. That move gives Dallas control and buys time, but it does not eliminate the bigger question. If the two sides do not reach a long-term agreement by the July 15 deadline, then Pickens would have to play the 2026 season on the tag.
From the Cowboys’ point of view, none of this appears to be panic-worthy. Jones made it sound like a process the organization understands well. Dallas has been down this road before with major players, and the franchise tag has often been used as a bridge rather than an ending.
Still, fans know how these situations feel. A team can say all the right things, but until there is a signed deal, there is always going to be some tension around it.
What keeps this from feeling like a problem is everything else coming out of Dallas right now. Brian Schottenheimer said Pickens is training with Dak Prescott, and that matters. Chemistry between a quarterback and a receiver is not built by press conference quotes. It is built by actual work, and that part appears to be happening.
That should be encouraging for Cowboys fans.
This is not a case where the player feels distant from the team or disconnected from the offense. In fact, Schottenheimer made it sound like Pickens is very much viewed as a key part of what Dallas wants to do. He said the Cowboys have plans for Pickens to be in Dallas for a long time, which is about as direct as a head coach can be without announcing a contract himself.
There is one wrinkle, though, and it is worth paying attention to.
Because Pickens has not signed the tag, Schottenheimer said he does not have assurances that the receiver will take part in the voluntary offseason program. He also made it clear he is not pushing the issue. That is not a surprise. Voluntary work is voluntary, and there is no reason for either side to force a headline out of something that may resolve itself with time.
Even so, it is part of the story.
The Cowboys are trying to build momentum under Schottenheimer, and the more time Pickens spends around Dak Prescott and the offense, the better. That does not mean missing voluntary work would be some kind of crisis. It just means the sooner the contract situation is settled, the sooner the conversation can fully shift back to football.
And that is really where this stands today.
The Cowboys clearly want George Pickens. George Pickens appears to know he is wanted. Dak Prescott is already putting in work with him. The only thing missing right now is the deal that matches the tone coming from the organization.
Until that happens, this will remain one of the biggest Cowboys stories on the board.
