INDIANAPOLIS – All honey.
That’s how Jerry Jones described his vision for the flow with George Pickens, now that the Dallas Cowboys have ensured that the All-Pro wide receiver won’t hit the market on March 11 as a free agent. On Friday, the Cowboys officially placed a franchise player tag on Pickens that comes with a $27.298 million payday for 2026 yet also marks the intent for the team to strike a deal for a long-term contract.
In many circles, Pickens, 24, ranked as the NFL’s top projected free agent. What a rise for a once-disgruntled player obtained in a May trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Very clearly, the Cowboys want George Pickens to be a part of our future,” the Cowboys owner said, speaking to a small group of media that included USA TODAY Sports, aboard his luxury bus on Friday night after watching a workout session at the NFL scouting combine. “That says that so clearly. And it has a lot of muscle behind it when it says it.”
Sounds inviting enough. Yet these are the Dallas Cowboys we’re talking about.
History suggests that when it comes to negotiating a fat contract for a star player, there’s bound to be some Texas-sized drama. In recent years, that involved long, drawn-out contract talks with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, DeMarcus Lawrence and of course, last year, a major saga with Micah Parsons that seemed to turn way-too-personal and didn’t end until the All-Pro edge rusher was traded to the Green Bay Packers a week before the start of the regular season.
What’s to say this will play out without becoming a big distraction that hovers above the Cowboys as they ramp up for next season? Jones tap-danced when asked whether he received assurance from Pickens during a Thursday phone conversation that the receiver would fully participate in the team’s offseason program.
“What I did get is how much it meant to George that he’s working with Dak,” Jones said.
More solid, though, was Jones’ contention about his approach to working with Pickens’ agent, David Mulugheta. Early in his hour-long media session – dubbed as a “state of the Cowboys address” – Jones made an undeniable statement that added a substantial layer to the tone set during the phone call with Pickens.
“Regarding his representation, I can clearly work with his agent,” Jones said. “I have no issues.”
After his dismissive remarks about Mulugheta last spring, Jones knew this component of the negotiations would come up during his media session. Rather than wait for a question about it, though, Jones was proactive. He brought it up himself.
Well, that was last year. Jones undoubtedly had a key talking point about Mulugheta (incidentally, a Dallas native who grew up rooting for the Cowboys) that he wanted to express on Friday.
“We haven’t met,” Jones said of Mulugheta, “but to the end that we can have discussions about (Pickens) and other players that he represents, we understand the angst that’s there, how he’s representing, and his goals of maximizing the dollars. And he clearly has accomplished enough to know the alternative to that is our job of managing the club and the salary cap and getting as much mileage out of the cap as we can.”
The NFL’s salary cap, by the way, will top $300 million for the first time in 2026, with the record $301.2 million figure representing an increase of $22 million from last year’s amount. It stands to reason that a long-term deal for Pickens would average at least $30 million per year. Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase has the highest average among receivers at $40.25 million, while Lamb ranks third at $34 million.
For a team that again needs to create cap room – according to Spotrac.com, the Cowboys are currently an NFL-worst $58.454 million over the cap – it would behoove the team to reach an agreement with Pickens sooner rather than later.
The same can be said for star kicker Brandon Aubrey, whom Jones confirmed has been offered a contract that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid kicker. Currently, Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs is the highest-paid kicker, averaging $6.4 million.
“We feel good that what we’re talking about is appreciative of what he can do for us,” Jones said of Aubrey, the only player in NFL history with six field goals of at least 60 yards on his resume. “I’m not trying to negotiate with anything I say here, but we’ve got a good offer on the table for him.”
Still, more drama is always just around the corner for the Cowboys. While Aubrey’s case is interesting enough, the Pickens matter seemingly provides more potential to generate headlines.
Pickens ranked third in the NFL with 1,429 receiving yards on 93 catches. In earning second-team All-Pro honors, he also largely discarded the reputation as a malcontent that was connected to Pittsburgh’s willingness to trade him away.
Jones undoubtedly took a step to reduce drama by calling Pickens on Thursday, a day before the team owner flew here for the combine, to explain the team’s rationale for using a franchise tag – the restrictive move despised by many star players across the league over the years.
“I was rewarded that he expressed himself in the way that he did about how comfortable he was here, how much he liked working with Dak and his teammates and how he was looking forward to his future with the Cowboys,” Jones said of his talk with Pickens.
As for the drama, Jones tried his best to distance himself from the perception that the Cowboys drag these matters out more than most. Two years ago, Lamb’s 4-year, $136 million extension wasn’t done until after he missed all of training camp. And while Prescott became the NFL’s highest-paid player on a 4-year, $260 million contract that averages $60 million, the matter was a constant topic of discussion all offseason and during camp.
“I don’t know what comes first: The substance, the significance of the player’s situation, or the drama of a negotiation,” Jones said. ‘Usually, those happen when you have a more substantive player that is…a difference-maker. I really don’t know how to do it and not have the drama.”
In other words, stay tuned. Even if Jones promises smooth sailing this time around.
“I want our George Pickens relationship to be all honey,” Jones said.
Yeah, honey and money.
– Contact Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell