Pickens to play on $27.3M tag as deadline passes

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens will officially play the 2026 season on his $27.3 million franchise tender after Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline for tagged players to agree to long-term contracts passed. This was an expected conclusion after the Cowboys announced before the NFL draft in April that they did not plan to hold talks on a long-term contract with Pickens. The last time the Cowboys signed a player tagged for the first time to an extension was wide receiver Dez Bryant in 2015. Pickens has already signed his franchise tender, putting him under contract for the 2026 season. He said last month that he was prepared to play this season on that tag. "Like the tag and all that, it's just football first," Pickens said after the first day of mandatory minicamp. "So, definitely play football first, kind of like I did last year, and then worry about [the contract] ... Well, let my agent worry about it, really." Pickens was one of four players to receive the franchise tag this year. The other three agreed to long-term contracts well before the deadline. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones signed a two-year, $88 million contract in March; New York Jets running back Breece Hall signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract in May; and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. signed a three-year, $54 million contract in June. The Cowboys have seen quarterback Dak Prescott, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Tony Pollard play a season on the tag since 2015 when they reached the extension with Bryant. The Cowboys reached long-term deals with Prescott and Lawrence after they used the tag for a second time. Schultz and Pollard left via free agency after their one season under the tag. Last year, the Cowboys acquired Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2026 third-round pick and 2027 fifth-rounder. He responded with the best year of his career, establishing career highs in catches (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (9). ESPN's Todd Archer contributed to this report.