Cowboys’ George Pickens to play on $27.3M tag as deadline passes – ESPN
George Pickens will officially play on the franchise tag in 2026.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens will officially play the 2026 season on his $27.3 million franchise tender after Wednesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline for tagged players to agree to long-term contracts passed.
This was an expected conclusion after the Cowboys announced before the NFL draft in April that they did not plan to hold talks on a long-term contract with Pickens. The last time the Cowboys signed a player tagged for the first
time to an extension was wide receiver Dez Bryant in 2015.
Pickens has already signed his franchise tender, putting him under contract for the 2026 season. He said last month that he was prepared to play this season on that tag.
“Like the tag and all that, it’s just football first,” Pickens said after the first day of mandatory minicamp. “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.”
Which Cowboys players need a big training camp to keep their spot on the roster? – Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News
Training camp will be vital for these players.
Only two players remain from the Cowboys’ 2023 draft class: linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, a third round pick in that draft, and Schoonmaker, a
second round pick out of Michigan. Could that number dwindle down to one by the time the offseason is over?
The Cowboys have quietly signaled that as a possibility. The Cowboys didn’t acquire a veteran tight end this offseason. They also didn’t select a tight end in the 2026 NFL draft, but they did sign two undrafted free agents in Baylor’s Michael Trigg and TCU’s D.J. Rogers. Conveniently, they also spent the most money among their crop of undrafted free agents on those two.
The undrafted free agents that the Cowboys sign to the biggest deal often have a better chance at making the team than others. Two years ago, tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford turned in the highest paid undrafted deal into two years with the Cowboys thus far. If Spann-Ford could leap Schoonmaker on the depth chart, and if one or both of the undrafted rookie tight ends take strides, then Schoonmaker will certainly have to fight for his spot.
The good news for Schoonmaker: He’s feeling healthy after dealing with multiple injuries the last two years and he feels ready for the challenge.
No.9) Who has the most to prove in his contract year? – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com
Several players need to maximize their chance to cash in.
Patrik: To me, there’s one glaring answer to this question, and his name is George Pickens. Granted, Pickens is no longer trying to prove he can be a breakout receiver capable of carrying an offense, as he was in his first contract season, or in sharing the load without complaint with yet another top-tier wideout. His 1,400-yard, nine TD season was a thing of beauty, and he’s also shattered the locker room narrative coming out of Pittsburgh ahead of his trade to Dallas.
So, what does Pickens need to prove in 2026? Well, as the Cowboys view it: consistency. I am of the mindset that the team should’ve extended him this offseason, but I also can’t argue against their reasoning for holding off. All Pickens has to do is rinse and repeat this coming season, and reporting to minicamp while on the franchise tag — stating he’ll fully participate in training camp practices as well — is a sensational start to a season that simply needs to show last year wasn’t an anomaly.
Cowboys Depth Chart: How will the QB competition shake out behind Dak Prescott? – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
This is one of the more intriguing questions of the offseason.
On The Bubble (2)
Joe Milton III, Sam Howell
The Cowboys made a bit of a surprise with a shake-up in the quarterback room this offseason, as they moved on from trusted depth piece Will Grier in favor of a former starter with ample experience in Sam Howell. Shortly after the signing was made, head coach Brian Schottenheimer came out and said that the backup quarterback spot behind Prescott is up for grabs.
Howell brings experience, having started 18 games in his career including all 17 for the Washington Commanders in 2023. Since then, however, Howell has only thrown 14 passes over the past two seasons. The system is familiar for Howell, as he pointed to his days at the University of North Carolina as a similar setup for how the Cowboys play under Schottenheimer.
On the other hand, Joe Milton III comes into 2026 with a year in Dallas under his belt, but a lack of strong confidence in his abilities along with it. Milton had a shaky first preseason with the Cowboys after being acquired in a trade last offseason, and he wasn’t called upon to play meaningful snaps in the regular season. The signing of Howell could be a sign of the staff’s lack of belief in Milton moving forward, or it could be simply intentional fuel to add to his fire going into 2026. Either way, Milton is being called upon to take a step forward.
Whoever comes out on top in the backup quarterback battle will obviously be safe on the roster, but there are a couple of possibilities for the loser in that competition. Will Schottenheimer carry three quarterbacks to prevent leaving one subjected to waivers? Or, could the Cowboys try to utilize the trade market to get something in return?
Daily discussion question: Does it bother you when people bring up teams from other sports (like Spain in the World Cup) having more “playoff wins” in AT&T Stadium than the Cowboys?
