Cowboys' Dak Prescott Trashed For 'Inappropriate' George Pickens Contract Talk

FRISCO - Want some clarity on exactly where I can draw a line between "the nationals and the casuals'' and people like you who pay serious attention to your Dallas Cowboys?

A "Dak Prescott vs. George Pickens debate'' just etched that line in granite.

If there is one player inside The Star now - or maybe inside the Cowboys in the history of this franchise - who knows about dealing with team owner Jerry Jones in the contract space, it's Dak Prescott.

Having been franchise-tagged and then having his four-year, $260 million deal done the night before Dallas was set to play in 2024's Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns, Dak knows what Pickens is about to go through.

With a clear number in mind for what the Cowboys think Pickens is worth and what George thinks he is worth, where that settles in terms of a proposed new contract is interesting.

Some think a contract of $32 million APY, just short of CeeDee Lamb's $34 mil number, is where it should land. Others think in excess of $35 million could be coming George's way.

What does Dak think? First know that among the aforementioned "nationals and casuals,'' the team leader (and friend of Pickens') is being trashed for thinking anything.

From ProFootballTalk.com: "When it comes to a teammate’s contract situation, a player’s best play is to say nothing at all. ...  It’s a minefield for any player to talk about another player’s contract.''

There is some traditional truth there, though I'm always amused at PFT's insistence on serving as an uninvited advisor to players.

From former NFL receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh on something called “The Speakeasy” podcast:

“I just really wish Dak would have minded his business with this one. ... Normally, does he really get this in-depth with his answers? Not really. So, now, why you want to really go in-depth when it pertains to me? Boy, mind your business.''

There is no traditional truth there; I'll work on the assumption that Houshmandzadeh has never engaged Prescott in a conversation ... and I'm bothered by the dismissive and insulting "boy'' reference as well.

Now to Dak, who was speaking at a Children's Cancer Fund event when he opted to give Pickens some advice.

"George loves football,” Dak said. “That's the one thing about it. I just want him to know, don't change your love for football. Don't get in the business mind of this. You played last year on a one year for not even that much, right? So if you can go 30 [million], whatever it is now, think it's the same thing I got. So, hey, go do it. At the end of the day, bet on yourself.

"He's a hell of a player. Hopefully, we can get him long-term and sign that. But if not, I think the way that he plays the game and the person that he is, he'll be just fine.”

Any real problems with any of that being "inappropriate''?

Not in context, no.

Dak - in trying to be supportive - is saying Pickens should be comfortable in betting on himself, just as he himself has done in his contract talks that twice made him Dallas' franchise-tagged guy ...

And that it worked out very, very well financially for Prescott.

It's likely to do the same for Pickens, one way or the other. If he's stuck on the tag, he's guaranteed $27.3 million for 2026 ... and another great year will earn him a gigantic raise in 2027.

Or, maybe, Pickens' 2025 season - which saw him post 1,429 yards and nine TDs as he became a key weapon for Dak and coach Brian Schottenheimer - will get him that gigantic payday between now and the negotiating deadline of July 15.

Listen, Dak's not perfect. (The above story on the breakup of his engagement with Sarah Jane Ramos suggests that he, like the rest of us, can be all too human).

But Dak's intentions here?

Prescott has publicly given Pickens some sound advice on how to deal with what's coming his way, and I bet he's done the same with George one-on-one. He's not trying to interfere; he's trying to help.

And anybody chosing to see it otherwise is either a "national,'' a "casual'' or ... a troll.