The Dallas Cowboys might be playing a dangerous game with George Pickens. They've already said they won't give him a long-term contract, and while he signed his franchise tag tender, that doesn't mean he'll show up.
Pickens skipped Tuesday's voluntary workout, and he is not required to report until mandatory minicamp starts on June 16. While he wasn't contractually obligated to attend, most of the team's veterans were there. Unsurprisingly, it raised some speculation about whether he'll be there when it counts.
That's why Dak Prescott wanted to set the record straight and let everybody know that he has Pickens' back. Regardless of how the front office manages to get it done, he wants to see Pickens on the field come Week 1:
“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,” Prescott said (h/t Jon Machota). “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.”
Dak Prescott may have put some pressure on the Cowboys about George Pickens
Pickens had a bit of a bad rap when he arrived in Arlington. As talented as he was, his antics on and off the field may have forced the Pittsburgh Steelers' hand to sell him at a lower stock than what he actually was. They already had more than enough experience with immature and talented wide receivers making big bucks.
But Prescott clearly wants Pickens on his team. Prescott is doing Pickens a huge favor by advocating for him, and hopefully, Pickens takes that to heart. Even CeeDee Lamb has said on the record that he doesn't care if Pickens gets paid more than him.
Compared to the player he was in Pittsburgh, he was in his best behavior in Arlington. Outside of that tardiness in Las Vegas and a couple of quiet games, Pickens had some strong outings and -- perhaps even more importantly -- said and did all the right things.
That said, he's still Pickens. So, not giving him a long-term contract and giving him the franchise tag was a risky move from the start. Players don't tend to appreciate the tag, and a somewhat volatile and unpredictable guy like Pickens looked like a perfect holdout candidate.
Pickens and his agent played ball and signed the deal, yet the Cowboys continued saying that no one wanted to trade for him and that they wouldn't revisit contract talks. That sounds like poking the bear, and that's the last thing they want to do with Pickens, especially since he's essentially doing them a favor.
The former second-round pick will make just under $28 million next season under the tag before hitting the market again. He could make north of $30 million a year and get at least three years in a free agent deal, so why on Earth should he agree to show up and play under the tag?
He's putting his body at risk, and he might lose millions if he underperforms or gets hurt after a career year in 2025. The Cowboys may have valid reasons not to sign him, both financial and personal, but that's not his problem. He's already sent a message by not showing up earlier in the week, and the front office must make sure Dak Prescott has his guy on the field come the season opener.
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