Blogging The Boys
This is a great thing for all parties involved.
So, hey! George Pickens finally made a headline… for showing up to practice with Dak Prescott and other Dallas Cowboys offensive players at a “skill retreat” ahead of training camp.
That’s the first time Pickens has been news in a while. Which is proof the Cowboys’ franchise tag strategy with wide receiver George Pickens appears to be working exactly as planned. Particularly this week.
With the NFL’s July 15 deadline to sign franchise-tagged players to long-term deals just days away, the silence surrounding Dallas and Pickens tells the story better than any headline could. The Cowboys tagged Pickens earlier this offseason and then shut down all long-term contract negotiations, a move that seemed risky at the time. But the lack of drama heading into this week confirms the gamble is paying off.
The quiet surrounding Pickens is quite loud
In previous years, the July 15 deadline has been a source of anxiety for the Cowboys organization. Franchise-tagged players and their agents typically use the days leading up to the cutoff as leverage, pushing for extensions before the window closes. Once the deadline passes, Dallas locks in Pickens on a one-year, fully guaranteed deal with no path to a long-term extension until next offseason.
By announcing early that they were shutting down negotiations entirely, the Cowboys put the ball in Pickens’ court. They made it clear that a holdout from mandatory minicamp or training camp wouldn’t function as a negotiation tactic because there would be no negotiations to influence. That decision forced Pickens to evaluate what truly served his interests.
Here’s the thing about Pickens’ situation: He is entering a 2026 season that could define whether he becomes the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. If he replicates what he did in 2025 for a second consecutive year, the price tag in free agency will skyrocket.
For that to happen, he needs to be around the team. He needs to be at training camp, building chemistry with quarterback Dak Prescott and learning the offense. Pickens recognized that. He showed up for mandatory minicamp and told reporters he did not plan to hold in or hold out of training camp.
He may not be thrilled about playing on a one-year deal, but he sounds like someone ready to give Dallas his best effort in 2026. That creates a win-win scenario for both sides.
These are some worthy candidates.
FRISCO, Texas – Football season is getting closer and closer.
The Cowboys are set to depart for training camp in less a month. That’s when we’ll get an up-close look at Brian Schottenheimer’s second season with this revised roster and coaching staff....
