Cowboys-George Pickens Situation Takes a New Turn

The Dallas Cowboys let wide receiver George Pickens know exactly what they think of him.

Prior to the 2026 NFL draft, the team made it known they had no plans to sign Pickens to a long-term contract extension and they were content letting him play the 2026 season under the franchise tag.

Pickens, however, wants to get paid - and he doesn't want to wait.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that Pickens was going to sign the franchise tag during the draft - an indication that Dallas could finally trade him if the right deal came along.

But as ESPN's Todd Archer reported on Monday morning, those reports were a bit premature.

"George Pickens has not yet signed the franchise tag tender with the Cowboys," Archer tweeted.

Schefter indicate during an appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show" Monday morning that Pickens still plans to sign the tag.

"I checked in [with a team source] and was told, basically, ‘It was draft weekend, signing the franchise tag immediately wasn't the first thing on his mind,'" Schefter stated.

Until Pickens signs the franchise tag, he's not currently under contract - and therefore, untradeable. If Dallas does trade him, Pickens' trade value is believed to be a second-round pick.

Though they picked East Carolina receiver Anthony Smith in the seventh round of the draft, the Cowboys didn't take a receiver high in the draft like many have speculated to replace Pickens.

If Pickens is made available, teams that could be interested include the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tennessee Titans.

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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 11:29 AM.