Despite rumors of a clandestine trade search, the Cowboys remain firm on George Pickens’ franchise tag as exorbitant asking prices keep rival suitors away from the Pro Bowl receiver.
FRISCO - Funny thing about the constant "drama'' involving George Pickens and the Dallas Cowboys. ...
Very little of it has to do with George Pickens and the Dallas Cowboys themselves.
From ESPN's comical misreporting about franchise-tag signing (they got the timing wrong) to its claim that Pickens "wants a long-term deal or a trade'' (CowboysRoundtable.com broke the story on that "fake news,'') there is a long menu of Pickens-Cowboys stories being completely made up ...
Or at least, overblown.
The latest? Yes, ESPN is at it again, reporting breathlessly that before the recent NFL Draft, Pickens and his team of advisors went out on their own to explore and gauge his trade market.
“Well, my understanding is Pickens at least looked around, gauged his market what a potential trade could look like if he could come to one with compensation and a new deal,” Jeremy Fowler said on SportsCenter.
Is this accurate? Did agent David Mulugheta at some point "gauge'' the market?
I have no doubt.
Are the answers that he received especially newsworthy?
That, I doubt. Because I'm pretty sure the answers (or guidance, or hints) he received last weekend are the same ones that have been in place for months.
"No, David, we're not interested in giving the Cowboys two first-round draft picks while also giving your client a four-year deal totaling $140 million.''
Something like that.
I'm told - on the record and behind the scenes - that Dallas has never seriously considered moving Pickens following the trade with the Steelers a year ago that ended up freeing him to produce his first-ever Pro Bowl effort in Dallas.
One of the reasons for that steadiness? The tag, which would require a bidding team to sacrifice those two first-round picks should they want to steal him away.
Teams had almost three months to make that move.
None did.
Jerry and Stephen Jones know this. So do Pickens and Mulugheta.
That doesn't mean one more fact-finding mission wasn't worth it; hey, it's just a few casual phone calls from an agent to some GM pals.
But it does mean that Mulugheta already knew what he'd hear on the other end of the line.
Nevertheless, even with what we all already knew and know ... ESPN is cranking out that drama.
“He wants a long-term contract, so this isn’t an ideal situation for him. But he signed the tag because it locked him into $27 million guaranteed,'' Fowler said. "t sounds like he’s going to have to do one more year to get that big payday down the road.”
Correct. No spit, Sherlock.
Pickens officially signed the tag on Wednesday, exactly as he promised he would. it will pay him $27.3 million guaranteed in 2026. The Cowboys have informed him that they don't plan to negotiate further this season.
No drama.
In theory, Pickens - had career highs of 93 receptions for 1,249 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025 - could still throw a fit and opt to skip some camp work.
And if and when that happens? I'll report it. With depth.
And ESPN will surely report it, too ... breathlessly.