Cowboys Lock in Pickens on Franchise Tag

0:00It's April 22, I'm Cory with the story. This is NFL News Today, driven by AI and built for football fans. Dallas Cowboys just locked in George Pickens for the 2026 season on the franchise tag, worth 27.2 million dollars. No long-term extension in sight, straight from exec Stephen Jones. They traded a third round pick for him last year, and now he's set to ball out under that one-year deal. He's crushed it alongside CD Land last season, hauling in 93 catches for 1,400 nine yards and nine touchdowns. That earned him second team all pro honors for the first time. Cowboys love having him, but they're playing it safe with the cap. This ain't new for Dallas. They tag Dak Prescott twice to Marcus Lawrence and Tony Pollard before. Big reason for holding off? Jones massive four-year, $136 million contract, plus Dak as the league's top paid QB for years. Two elite receivers and market top prices?

1:00That's a stretch. Jones told Pickens and agent David Mullicheta the plan, but no guarantees he'll show for off-season work. Tags unsigned yet, though talks keep flowing. They might even eye a wider receiver in the draft if the right one falls. From a stacked class headlined by guys like Jordan Tyson. Headlines to flip an ink a long-term deal hits July 15th, so plenty could shift. For now, it's classic Cowboys contract chess, keeping that receiver room stacked and unpredictable.