One of the most dynamic receivers on the market is off the board. The Dallas Cowboys, in an effort to keep George Pickens from testing the market, have elected to use the franchise tag. The tag, if signed, carries a one-year, $27 million fully guaranteed contract. Pickens was initially a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers as a second-round draft pick.
Cowboys to Place Franchise Tag on George Pickens
BREAKING: The Dallas Cowboys plan to place the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens on Friday, per Yahoo Sports’ @JoriEpstein.
Pickens is coming off a career-high season, finishing with 93 receptions, 1,429 yards, and 9 TDs in his first year in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/MYx9i53sSk
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 27, 2026
Pickens was a high-upside pick by the Steelers with the 52nd overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After breaking out as a freshman for the Georgia Bulldogs, Pickens only appeared in 12 games over his final two seasons, with just four games and five catches as a junior due to an ACL injury. However, as a rookie, Pickens turned 84 targets (third-most on the team) into 801 yards and four touchdowns. He led the Steelers with 15.4 yards per catch.
Pickens’ second season was a taste of what he could do. In 17 games (16 starts), he led the team with 106 targets, 63 receptions, 1,140 yards, and five touchdowns. His 18.1 yards per catch led the NFL despite a motley crew of subpar quarterbacks.
In 2024, Pickens battled a mid-season hamstring injury, causing him to miss three games for the first time in his career. Despite that, he led the Steelers with 103 targets and turned that into 59 receptions, 900 yards, and three touchdowns.
In May of 2025, the Steelers traded Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Last year, Pickens had the best season of his young career. Opposite CeeDee Lamb, Pickens led the Cowboys with 137 targets, 93 receptions, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns. As a result, Pickens earned a Pro Bowl nod for the first time in his career, and he even earned second-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press. Among receivers with at least 90 receptions, Pickens’ 65% success rate trailed only Puka Nacua.
