George Pickens to play on franchise tag for Dallas Cowboys after deadline passes

Wednesday was the last day for players on the franchise tag to agree to long-term contracts. The 4 p.m. deadline came and went, and George Pickens didn’t land a deal – meaning he is preparing to play on the tag for the Dallas Cowboys in 2026.

The Cowboys officially placed the tag on Pickens in April and he signed it after the NFL Draft. From there, all eyes were on whether he would hold out as he sought a long-term agreement with the franchise following a huge debut season in Dallas.

After missing the first week of OTAs, Pickens reported to mandatory minicamp and made clear he planned to be at camp later this month, as well. Without a deal in place by Wednesday’s deadline, he will go through the 2026 season on the franchise tag, which is worth $27.3 million.

Pickens put up the best numbers of his career in 2026 after joining the Cowboys via a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He notably played a big role in CeeDee Lamb’s absence due to injury. Pickens totaled 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns to earn a Second Team All-Pro selection and a Pro Bowl appearance.

As a result, Pickens appeared in line for a big payday, but the Cowboys chose to use the franchise tag. Dallas’ COO Stephen Jones also made it clear the team did not intend to trade him. Last month, Pickens said his focus remained on winning and not his contract situation.

“What’s important to me is winning,” Pickens said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “Like I said from the beginning, I always wanna bring a Super Bowl to a group of guys that never had that feeling. That’s really the most important part to me.”

Across the NFL this year, four players received the franchise tag. The other three – Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, New York Jets running back Breece Hall and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts – all landed long-term deals.

George Pickens, however, did not. He left those talks to his agent, though. He’s ready to let his work show on the field.

“Like the tag and all that, it’s just football first,” Pickens told reporters after the first day of minicamp, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “So, definitely play football first, kind of like I did last year, and then worry about [the contract] … Well, let my agent worry about it really.”