 | CONNELL GRANGE SUPPLY WHERE THE CUSTOMER IS STILL THE COMPANY |
|
Printable Page
04/29 17:40 CDT George Pickens signs $27.3 million franchise tag with Cowboys,
opening door for offseason work
George Pickens signs $27.3 million franchise tag with Cowboys, opening door for
offseason work
FRISCO, Texas (AP) --- Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens signed his $27.3
million franchise tag Wednesday, making it almost certain the Pro Bowler will
show up for mandatory offseason work while the club remains adamant it has no
plans to trade CeeDee Lamb's sidekick.
Pickens informed the Cowboys just hours before the start of the NFL draft last
week that he intended to sign the one-year tender, which sparked trade
speculation because executive vice president Stephen Jones had said a day
earlier Dallas had no plans to negotiate a long-term contract with Pickens this
offseason.
The 25-year-old, acquired last year in a trade with Pittsburgh, had career
highs in catches (93), yards receiving (1,429) and touchdowns (nine) for one of
the best offenses in the NFL last season. Dallas had one of the worst defenses
in the league and finished 7-9-1, missing the playoffs for the second year in a
row.
Pickens thrived alongside Lamb, who is going into the second year of a $136
million, four-year contract that currently ranks him third among NFL receivers
with an average annual value of $34 million.
There was incentive for Pickens to take the guaranteed money under the tag
because it's a huge payday compared to the total earnings of $6.8 million on
his four-year rookie deal as a 2022 second-round pick out of Georgia.
By signing the contract, Pickens can participate in the voluntary offseason
program that started this week.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has said throughout the offseason the
club has long-term plans for Pickens. Jones said he wouldn't have made the
lucrative offer under the tag without a belief that Pickens will be with the
Cowboys beyond 2026.
Quarterback Dak Prescott and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence each played a
season under the franchise tag within the past eight years for Dallas before
reaching long-term deals. Tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Tony
Pollard also played under the tag before leaving in free agency the next year.
Stephen Jones said the "newness" of Pickens' tenure with the Cowboys was a
factor in the decision to stick with a one-year deal for now and not a longer
contract.
Pickens' talent was on display during three seasons with the Steelers, but so
were enough instances of petulant or indifferent behavior for then-coach Mike
Tomlin to question his maturity.
Brian Schottenheimer never took issue with Pickens publicly in his first season
as a head coach after a quarter-century as an NFL assistant. But Pickens and
Lamb were benched for the first series in Las Vegas after missing curfew
following a casino visit the night before the game.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
