Pickens has been franchise tagged, and Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith has given George some advice.
All eyes will be on Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens and how his contract saga plays out over the course of the offseason.
With Dallas slapping the franchise tag on the Pro Bowler, Pickens and the Cowboys have until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement; otherwise, Pickens will play on the tag, which pays him roughly $27 million in 2026.
Some don't think Dallas will sign Pickens long-term, with the threat of a trade very real for some sections of Cowboys Nation.
Others have faith mainly because Dallas has refrained from discussing Pickens' future in the media.
In truth, the Micah Parsons saga and how it played out are likely still fresh in fans' minds, so they wait to see if this situation will play out differently.
We have heard rumors that Pickens might choose to hold out of the offseason workouts until he gets a long-term contract, in a similar way to CeeDee Lamb.
But for Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer, Emmitt Smith, who spoke with Joe Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News, he's got some advice for George.
"Take the one-year deal ... He should be motivated to play at a high level," Smith said.
We saw Dak Prescott be tagged multiple times and played on the tag, so Pickens could look to do the same to show the Cowboys he is worth every penny of a new deal.
Of course, we know players aren't big fans of the one-year deal; they want security, and the tag doesn't give them that.
But Smith thinks Pickens should be fired up to go and do what he does best in 2026, simply because of the situation he's in with the Cowboys.
"He should be motivated," Smith added. "And I'm telling you George: you're not going to go to too many places that's going to be like Dallas, or Texas. You can go to Florida somewhere: who down in Florida is going to throw you the football?
"You're better at The Star. Look at The Star, see the facilities that we have, look at what you have the opportunity to build here. Come on. Think about life beyond the game."
It is hard to argue with Emmitt's line of thinking here.
It is easy to forget last season, no one wanted Pickens...except Dallas. The franchise took a shot, and it worked out for everyone.
Now, it feels like Pickens will have to prove himself again to show that 2025 wasn't a fluke.
Playing on the tag isn't ideal, but Pickens bet on himself last season, and it worked, so why not do it again?