Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens is poised to hit free agency, but concerns about his off-field “maturity” could complicate his pursuit of a lucrative contract.
Pickens, who was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers in May 2025, posted career highs with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. His performance also led to his first Pro Bowl selection.
After putting up those numbers, Pickens is looking for a big payday in free agency, hoping to get a contract that aligns with the other top wide receivers in the league. However, stories are already coming out about off-the-field concerns. ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer mentioned them in a story published Monday.
“The questions about him in Pittsburgh — maturity, timeliness — weren’t as much of a problem for the Cowboys,” Archer wrote. “That doesn’t mean those issues disappeared when he arrived in Dallas. Coach Brian Schottenheimer alluded to Pickens still being late to things, and multiple sources said Pickens was fined during the season.”
It is not the first time Pickens has been criticized. Former NFL cornerback and Thursday Night Football analyst Richard Sherman criticized him following a loss to the Detroit Lions last season in which Pickens caught five passes for 37 yards, leading Sherman to question his effort, saying he looked “uninterested” in the game.
This information could be coming out as a way for the Cowboys to gain leverage in negotiations with Pickens. The Cowboys are expected to place the franchise tag on him while they try to work out an extension. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reportedly does not want to deal with Pickens’ agent, David Mulugheta.
Jones previously tried to negotiate directly with former edge rusher Micah Parsons during his contract extension talks.. Parsons insisted that Jones talk to Mulugheta, but the two sides remained at an impasse and Parsons was eventually traded to the Green Bay Packers.
Whether Monday’s report will affect future talks between the two sides remains to be seen, but these discussions could go on for a while based on how the Cowboys have treated other contract situations with stars such as Parsons, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott.