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Cowboys Weigh $29 Million Franchise Tag as George Pickens’ Breakout Drives His Market

ESPN now rates him the top 2026 wideout, signaling a market that favors a control-first move by Dallas.

Overview

  • In nine games, George Pickens has 49 receptions for 764 yards and six touchdowns, putting him on a 1,400-plus yard pace.
  • ESPN ranked Pickens the top pending wide receiver and No. 4 overall free agent for 2026 based on his big-play production.
  • ESPN’s Dan Graziano projects a strong likelihood the Cowboys use the franchise tag if their current satisfaction holds, with Jeremy Fowler estimating the tag near $29 million.
  • Pickens said on Oct. 30 there had been no extension talks, and Jerry Jones said the team would “look carefully” at his future.
  • Multiple NFL executives still flag inconsistency and discipline as valuation factors, and the NFL fined Pickens $17,389 for a sideline taunt against Cardinals corner Denzel Burke.