Even after he caught 174 passes for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns in three seasons after being drafted in the second round out of Georgia in 2022, wide receiver George Pickens was just a bit much for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the offseason, they dealt the rising 24-year-old star to the Dallas Cowboys along with a 2027 sixth-round pick, getting only a 2026 third-rounder and 2027 fifth in return.
Fast forward to today, as Pickens and the Cowboys prepare to face the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football, in a playoff atmosphere matchup at Ford Field â a game that will go a long way toward determining the postseason fate of both teams.
Franchise Tag on Table
Despite earlier appearing on the Dallas injury report, breakout fourth-year wide receiver George Pickens is set to play in the Thursday night game â amid persistent rumors that the Cowboys will cut ties with the often-troubled young star after the season.
But will they? A Cowboys team source had a succinct message that appeared to indicate that not only does Dallas want to hang on to Pickens, they will use the franchise tag to do it if they have to.
Pickens enters the game as the second-leading receiver in the NFL with 1,142 yards through 12 games, trailing only Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks with 1,336. Pickens also ranks second in receiving yards per game (95.2) and is tied for third in the league with eight touchdown catches. The former Bulldog also ranks seventh in total receptions (73) and sixth in yards per catch (15.6).
Pickens Sets Himself Up for Huge Raise
In short, Pickens is putting up career numbers in a breakout season that by one estimate, by the sports business site Spotrac, will net him a five-year contract worth a whopping $156.8 million in free agency, or about $30.8 million per season â quite a raise from the $3.7 million Pickens is due from the Cowboys this season.
There’s no question that Pickens comes with some issues. He has already drawn five fines from the NFL this season after five last year and three the year before that. He has also cost the Cowboys three 15-yard penalties, two for unsportsmanlike conduct and one for unnecessary roughness, in addition to other more routine penalties.
The Cowboys clearly must weigh Pickens’ production against the troubles he is capable of causing. But according to one team source with the organization, the decision has already been reached.
WR Will Stay in Dallas: ESPN Report
According to an ESPN.com report on Wednesday, a team source gave reporters Todd Archer and Jeremy Fowler a blunt, three-word message for Pickens.
“He ain’t leaving.”
The Cowboys would need to guarantee Pickens at least $27 million to retain him via the franchise tag if they do not reach agreement with him on an extension, according to the ESPN.com report, which also noted that âearly signs are that Dallas is not afraid of the franchise tag number.â
Owner and de facto general manager Jerry Jones, as well as head coach Brian Schottenheimer and quarterback Dak Prescott, have all given their endorsement to retaining Pickens, according to the Archer and Fowler report.
“I’m very in favor of George having a long-term future with us,” Schottenheimer told the reporters, while Prescott added that “I think that’d be a priority in the offseason.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Cowboys Insider Drops Blunt 3-Word Message on George Pickens appeared first on Heavy Sports.