Just hours before the NFL Draft, when reports surfaced that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens was "expecting" to sign the franchise tag, alarm bells went off for Cowboys fans everywhere.
Since then, it looks like the Cowboys have a somewhat normal offseason to prepare for, especially after the team announced that Pickens signed the franchise tag. It looks like the Pro Bowl wideout will suit up for the Cowboys in Week 1, and if he plays up to his potential, he'll definitely be paid big bucks next year.
Well, of course, $27 million is big bucks already, but NBC Sports' Mike Florio was on 105.3 The Fan to say that Pickens wasn't even supposed to make that much. Now that he has, he needs to erase any history concerns the Cowboys still have of him.
"You just got to show up. You've got to play. There's too much of a negative history out there from his time with the Steelers. (George Pickens) needs to have another great year with the Cowboys. He needs to view the glass as half full, because he's making more money than we ever thought he was going to make."
George Pickens' past antics are the root cause of no long-team deal yet
No one, including Jerry Jones, thought Pickens would make as much noise as he did last season. He was one of the best receivers in football last season, with 1,429 receiving yards (third in the NFL) and nine touchdowns. His jump-ball ability and speed in the open field made the Cowboys' offense look scary last season.
Unlike his past seasons in Pittsburgh, when he yanked the helmet of former Cowboys DB Jourdan Lewis, Pickens wasn't acting up on the field last season with the star on his uniform. Except for when he and CeeDee Lamb were benched early in Week 11 against the Raiders as part of a "coach's decision." It wasn't much to worry about, and Pickens continued killing it for the remainder of 2025.
This will no doubt be the most crucial season of Pickens' career. He's in his prime, about to break out, and while he is itching to break the WR market for a Jaxon Smith-Njigba-type contract, he's not quite there yet, and the Cowboys know it.
The Cowboys are working smartly here, not aggressively, and they're doing it for the right guy. The Joneses want Pickens to prove he deserves the big bucks for the long run.
The Cowboys caught a scare early in the week when Marquez Valdes-Scantling was signed to a one-year deal, but as things stand now, Pickens looks to suit up in Week 1, at least that's what we're all hoping.
Cowboys fans can also hope that Pickens can maintain his cool and keep his composure, and if he's playing like he did last season and having fun doing it, then his pocketbook looks like it will blossom next season.
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