Steelers Now
The Dallas Cowboys are dealing with the headache that the Pittsburgh Steelers dumped into their laps. George Pickens had a stellar showing with America’s Team last season, but Jerry Jones won’t commit to the erratic receiver past this upcoming campaign.
ESPN’s Louis Riddick, a former front-office member for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, reacted to the Cowboys forcing Pickens to play on the franchise tag rather than signing him for the foreseeable future.
“Clearly, they feel as though the best version of George Pickens is the one that is hungry and trying to secure long-term financial stability in the form of a long-term contract,” Riddick said Wednesday on “Get Up.” “And they’re just not comfortable going ahead and giving him financial security and signing him to a long-term deal. … (The Cowboys) have more information than anyone else. They’re the ones that were with him every single day last year.
“They know he produced. They know that he had a heck of a season. They know that if he were to hit the open market, what he would command. They’re just not comfortable going ahead and giving him the guaranteed money that he probably will get on the open market from some football team.”
The Steelers traded Pickens to Dallas for a couple of mid-round draft picks last offseason. He posted career-bests with 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdown grabs a season ago. His tenure with the Cowboys might not last past this go-round.
“To me, this sounds like a situation that is setting up for 2026 to be George’s last season in Dallas,” Riddick said. “George kinda realizes that, and that’s why he said, ‘Hey, look, you know what? I’m gonna sign the tender, go into the year and just kinda rip it up this year and then let the chips fall where they may in the offseason in 2027.'”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Analyst Slaps Expiration Date on George Pickens Time with Cowboys
