Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday that one of the team’s offseason acquisitions last year could become a franchise cornerstone moving forward.
Jones said wide receiver George Pickens could land himself a career deal after this season.
Pickens is playing on a franchise tag worth $27.3 million, though with another season like this past year — more than 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns — he “is likely to become one of the — if not THE — highest-paid players at his position,” wrote Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk.
Jones Hopes George Pickens Plays for Big Contract
Contrary to what many might assume, Jones actually hopes Pickens has a huge year, which, yes, would benefit his team, but also may cost them when it comes to negotiating a new contract in 2027.
“He’s a valued part of our aspirations and our potential success,” Jones said. “The combination that he has with the other talent on the team I think will make you feel pretty positive about what we’ve got a chance to do. That with the way we have worked this out is the way it fit. I’m proud that he will work it that way. I’m proud that he will. I hope he comes out here and is the most prolific, successful receiver in the NFL this year. Now, how would you like to be a free agent with his credentials and step out there and have a year like that. So, I wish all of that, because if that happens, that was good for us. We did it the way we thought it was best for everybody concerned.”
Jones also indicated that even with a big price tag, he’d be welcome back in Dallas — and he’d be invited to stay for the foreseeable future.
“This can be a very win-win thing that we’ve done here, us, George and George being on the team,” Jones said. “Make no mistake about it, George could be a Cowboy for the rest of his career and that would be a long time. Make no mistake about it. This just fit for us and thank goodness it fit for him, and we got it done and let’s look at that.”