Who do you franchise tag if you're Jerry Jones: George Pickens or ... Brandon Aubrey?
Wide receiver George Pickens has caught flack in recent weeks after two below-average games against the Lions and Vikings. But all things considered, the Dallas Cowboys would be silly to not make an effort at retaining the star running-mate to CeeDee Lamb.
Pickens, though totaling just 70 yards over the past two games, still ranks as the third-leading receiver in the NFL at 1,212 yards to go with career-highs in receptions (81) and touchdowns (8).
He's on an expiring contract, and this breakout campaign likely puts him near the upper echelon of value for his next deal. Might he demand something like $40 million? Not quite, but it is feasible to retain him and the high-priced Lamb.
By signing him to the franchise tag, Dak Prescott's top two weapons are kept together for next season, and it only costs $28 million for another year of the explosive Pickens - which we figure to be a bargain compared to what other teams would need to pay.
We expect this to be the Cowboys plan as owner Jerry Jones said there was "no" indication about Pickens' rough spell suggesting an alternate outlook on his future.
But might there be another player Dallas could tag?
The Ringer's Bill Simmons took to his show to suggest a highly questionable candidate. Questionable not in the sense of keeping him in Dallas, but in the mere thought of dedicating the team's one franchise tag contract to this position.
“Who do you franchise tag if you’re Jerry, Brandon Aubrey or George Pickens?” said co-host Sal “Cousin Sal” Iacono.
"Aubrey,” Simmons stated. “Kickers aren’t even that expensive."
The All-Pro leg has a Spotrac projection of $6.7 million for his next contract coming this offseason. It's greatly less than whatever figure Pickens will earn.
But that number would still set the record for the wealthiest kicker contract in NFL history.
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So, since "kickers aren't even that expensive," shouldn't that be the exact reason why Jones wouldn't need to use the franchise tag? It's such an insignificant slice of the pie, most in Cowboys Nation wouldn't even be upset if there was already an extension in place, even at something close to $7 million or more.
If the Cowboys were to tag Aubrey, there is no guarantee on the ability to retain Pickens once he's on the open market.
"Okay," Simmons bluffs. "That’s fine."
But, is it?
The Cowboys' near-top-tier offense - where Prescott is the league's passing-leader - was largely initiated through Pickens directly. He, at least leading up to this week, had seemed to wipe away the immature reputation that spelled doom for him in Pittsburgh and has shined as a legit WR1 talent.
Jones cannot risk losing that, especially in favor of locking down a price tag that could've been done harmlessly during a lunch break this season.
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