​George Pickens’ next contract just became much easier to predict originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.George Pickens turned his first season with the Dallas Cowboys into the best season of his career. He recorded 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, setting career-highs across the board while earning his first Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors. But despite the way he lit up the field, his off-field narrative remained highly questionable.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn November, Pickens and CeeDee Lamb were benched for the opening offensive series against the Las Vegas Raiders. The disciplinary action stemmed from the duo missing the team’s 10 p.m. curfew after getting dinner and drinks at the Red Rock Casino.Additionally, team executives revealed that Pickens had missed the team bus. These incidents revived maturity questions that had previously lingered during his three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.Consequently, when it came time to discuss a contract extension, the Cowboys refused to negotiate. Despite owner Jerry Jones stating at the March league meetings that Dallas harbored “long-term plans” for the wide receiver, the front office officially shut down extension negotiations in April.Instead of making a long-term commitment, Dallas ultimately chose to let Pickens play out the 2026 season under a $27.3 million franchise tag.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPickens signed the tag anyway, betting on himself for his second year in Dallas. If he matches his 2025 production, his next contract will be significantly more expensive and could set a new high for the wide receiver market.Tuesday, July 15, marks the NFL’s annual deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign multi-year extensions. Because the deadline passed without a deal, Pickens is locked into a one-year contract for the 2026 season. By league rules, the team can no longer offer him a long-term extension until after the season ends.NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport pointed out how quiet things were in Dallas on Tuesday, tweeting, “Yet with #Cowboys star WR George Pickens playing on the $27.3M franchise tag with plans to cash in next offseason, there is no such drama this year.”Now that the deadline is gone, Pickens’ timeline is set. He is playing out the 2026 season on the tag. Stephen Jones has already said multiple times that they aren’t trading him, so any talks about a massive new contract are officially pushed to 2027.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementColts ready to dump once-promising franchise QB as Cowboys emerge in surprise trade buzzJosh Allen earns honor Patrick Mahomes held for yearsJerry Jones’ FIFA World Cup plan puts him on wrong side of NFL debateJerry Jones’ $96 million investment at guard is already paying off according to executives around the leagueNFL coaches admit they were wrong about one part of Lamar Jackson’s game