The Cowboys made it known that other teams could negotiate with Pickens this offseason, yet no one came forward, something that doesn't surprise Ross Tucker.
The Dallas Cowboys' offseason has largely centered on George Pickens' future, with the Pro Bowl receiver now signing his franchise tag to eliminate any distractions.
But before George signed the tag, Dallas made it clear that if teams wanted to negotiate with Pickens, they could; and if the Cowboys didn't agree to the offer sheet Pickens received from another team, then Jerry Jones would pocket two first-round draft picks.
And as expected, there wasn't much interest in George.
Which, for me, says a lot.
Still, there weren't going to be many teams that were going to give up the draft capital, plus a huge contract for a player that, while he had a great season in Dallas, still has some lingering question marks surrounding him.
Former NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker was a guest on 105.3 The Fan and was asked if he was surprised there wasn't a big market for Pickens this offseason.
And his response tells you that the Cowboys likely knew they had all the leverage this offseason.
"No, I'm not surprised," Tucker said. "Because George Pickens' reputation precedes him. You go back to college, and why he wasn't a first-round pick, then you go to Pittsburgh, and the erratic on-field behavior, and people know Mike Tomlin's history. For Mike Tomlin to move on from Pickens, that speaks volumes.
"I think there's a bunch of teams that would have been interested in him, but I think they would have wanted to date him for a year and not marry him for a long-term deal with big money. So why would they offer a bigger contract than the Cowboys would and trade assets?"
Tucker's "dating" analogy here is key.
Because that is exactly what the Cowboys are doing with Pickens. They're going on a second date in 2026.
Last season, aside from a couple of reported off-field issues with being late to meetings and that now infamous Detroit Lions game, Pickens has been the ideal player in Dallas.
But the franchise wanted to see more. Hence the franchise tag.
What happens after 2026 is anyone's guess, with the thought that this will be George's last year with the Cowboys, providing he has another great season. The cost of keeping him will be too high.
One good year apparently doesn't absolve Pickens of his early issues in the league, and, given the lack of market interest in him, it appears most NFL teams felt it was a little too risky to offer a long-term deal, at least right now.
Could that change in 2027? Sure, and whether it does or not is entirely up to George.