The Cowboys' offense was one of the best in football last season, but new wrinkles need to be added, and having Pickens' future sorted makes it easier to learn them.
With George Pickens signing his franchise tag, now Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, barring anything silly happening, can bank on Pickens being part of his offense in 2026.
And that is a big deal, mainly because of the talent George is, but also because every year, defenses evolve, so too the offense.
If Pickens is not at the offseason workouts, he will miss important installs of Schottenheimer's new offense, which can be problematic, to say the least.
But now that Pickens, we think, will show up, it makes the transition smoother, mostly because George already knows the bones of what Schottenheimer wants to do offensively.
So, getting Pickens' future sorted is crucial to the offense under Schottenheimer evolving the way he wants in 2026.
"I think it makes us excited that we know that we plan on George being here, and George I think's really excited about coming back,” Schottenheimer said. “We're in the process of evolving, but it doesn't have to happen tomorrow or a week from now. It's going to happen.
"We don't play a game for a long time, the more we get back into the installs, the good news is he's heard that stuff. Where he can continue to go and grow is scary because what he did last year was amazing. We've got a lot of really good football players, and he's certainly at the top of that list along with some of our other studs.”
There's no denying how important Pickens is to how the Cowboys' offense operates.
What he does from a schematic standpoint to a defense when they have to worry about him and CeeDee Lamb is a big advantage.
Plus, with a defense having to drop more players into coverage to curtail No. 3 and No. 88, that leaves Javonte Williams with lighter boxes, and the Cowboys' run game can pick up steam.
So, while it is only the franchise tag, having another year of Pickens is great for Dallas, and how he will be used in Year 2 under Schottenheimer will be fascinating to watch.
This is why having Pickens at all of the mandatory offseason workouts is going to be huge for the Cowboys.
George was sensational last season, but he had a full offseason in Dallas, and now that he's signed his franchise tag, the hope is that he'll be back better than ever in Year 2.
The Cowboys' offense is set to evolve under Schottenheimer, and I'd imagine Pickens will play a pivotal role in it.