Despite the explosive chemistry between CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, Stephen Jones is already casting doubt on the Cowboys' ability to afford both star receivers beyond this season.
FRISCO - Shame on Stephen.
The Dallas Cowboys' offense last season was one of the best in football, as Dak Prescott had weapons everywhere, especially at wideout, where CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens formed a formidable duo that is now, entering 2026, considered the NFL's best.
What does Lamb say about the dynamic duo at the top of the Dallas depth chart?
"We can be real, real vicious together. I know that. He knows that," Lamb said. "And every day we strive to do it.''
What does Pickens say about the group?
"I feel like as an offense, that's one thing and one mindset that we have,'' Pickens said. "Just trying to be through the roof."
And what does COO Stephen Jones say about the situation?
"I don't know of any teams that really can pay two top receivers top of the market,'' he said via the DLLS Cowboys podcast. "So that's gonna be a real difficult situation as we move forward.''
Stephen, what are we doing here?
Admittedly, Jones was answering a question posed to him.
But that doesn't mean he needs to answer it at all. And it certainly doesn't mean he needs to answer it in a way that dumps a bucket of ice water on a situation that has everyone in Cowboys Nation - not to mention in this locker room here at The Star - thrilled about what "The Goodfellas'' (one of Lamb/Pickens' handful of self-assessed nicknames) might be about to accomplish.
Pickens, 25-year-old receiver, is coming off a 1,429-yard, nine-TD campaign and is playing on the $27.3 million franchise tag as the sidekick to the perennial All-Pro wideout Lamb. The two became best pals immediately after the 2025 spring-time trade that brought Pickens here from Pittsburgh.
There is peace between the two of them, even as Lamb makes $34 million per year. There is excitement due to the two of them, with money not an object because Pickens chose to make it so.
Why even bring up a contract that by (franchise tag) rule cannot be negotiated until February 2027?
Said Jones: "We've managed to figure out how we can do it for this year. If everything works out the way we think it is, [in] which CeeDee and George both have huge years again, then it'll be a bigger challenge next year.”
Is Jones addressing this now as a way of putting down the groundwork for saying goodbye to Pickens after this year? Is is he painting a picture of himself as a "cap hero'' when Dallas does "figure it out''? (One way to do that is to tag Pickens again next year, at about $33 million.)
Or is he simply predisposed to a frugal and negative view of cap management?
To his and the Cowboys' credit, they've done a masterful job this summer of aggressively manipulating the cap.
Why not be excited about the "challenge'' of doing the exact same thing next year?
Two points here:
One, they "managed to figure it out'' this year by doing exactly what Stephen suggests is near-impossible ... they paid both of them.
Simple.
And two, big-money deals for multiple guys on the same team (even ones who play the same position) are not uncommon ... when the players are uncommon.
One recent ranking placed Dallas' receivers room ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 2), Minnesota Vikings (No. 3), the Detroit Lions (No. 4), and the Los Angeles Rams (No. 5).
As it happens, Cincinnati pays big money on Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, $69 million combined APY.
The Seahawks pay Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed $59.1 mil combined.
The Eagles last year paid A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith $57 mil combined.
The Lions pay Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams $56.6 mil combined.
What do those last three teams have in common? They're all big-time NFC playoff contenders.
The Cowboys' APY on Lamb and George Pickens is $61.2 million ... and those two guys figure as a major reason Dallas can join the list of NFC playoff contenders.
"George is really wanting to put back-to-back years on top of one another so it'll help his market,” Jones said. “And certainly, I know at some point – as does every player in this league – will want to be rewarded with a long-term contract.
"So that certainly puts pressure on us to have a unique situation there at wide receiver.”
Stephen is right about the "challenge'' and the "pressure.''
But he's wrong to bring up the "challenge'' now; in terms of helping the football team, it serves no purpose.
And he's wrong to bring up the "pressure'' at all ... because that is simply part of the job he pays himself to do.
