On Wednesday, the Cowboys bucked their recent trend of failing to make big-splash offseason additions by pulling off a trade with the Steelers for star wide receiver George Pickens. Of course, it is not a free-agent signing–heavens forbid the Cowboys go that route–but it is a way to finally address the biggest hole on the roster, that of WR2 behind CeeDeeLamb.
If the Cowboys truly wanted to turn over a new leaf here in 2025, they could aggressively pursue a new contract for Pickens, who is set to be paid $3.6 million this season. There are a number of good reasons to do this, most notably the fact that wide receivers tend to be among the most overpaid in the NFL, and getting Pickens locked up at a reasonable number would be a good idea.
Not signing him and allowing him to go to free agency, after giving up a Day 2 pick for Pickens, would be risky.
George Pickens Could Have a Booming Market
Per Spotrac, Ja’Marr Chase will be paid $40.2 million this year, after all, and his teammate, Tee Higgins, set the bar for a WR2 at $28.7 million. Jaylen Waddle gets $28.2 million in Miami, and Devonta Smith gets $25 million with the Eagles. They’re both WR2s, and the Cowboys don’t want to fork out that kind of money. The Steelers didn’t want to, which is why they traded him.
Pickens would not get anything close to $25 million in an extension now, of course. But that’s why it could be a good idea to get him a new contract now–a great 2025 season from Pickens could, in the end, put him in Higgins-Waddle-Smith territory. Better to get a bargain rate now.
But that’s not happening, according to multiple reports.
Cowboys Would Have to Wait Until 2026
In fairness to the Cowboys, it appears that the frigidity on a new contract runs both ways. Pickens ran afoul of coach Mike Tomlin last year, and played only 14 games. He racked up 900 yards receiving, after having tallied 1,140 yards in 2023. Those numbers came with the likes of Justin Fields, Russ Wilson, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph as his quarterbacks.
If Pickens stays on the straight and narrow, playing with Dak Prescott and alongside Lamb, he could be due for a massive contract in 2026.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN wrote on Twitter/X, “Fascinating one-year experiment. Source says the Cowboys’ plan is for Pickens to play out his rookie deal.”
But veteran beat writer Clarence Hill wrote that Pickens does not want a new contract, anyway. Not now, at least.
“Per source on the need for a possible contract extension following the trade, new Cowboys WR George Pickens isn’t “looking to do one. Wants to show he’s a top guy this year.”
Pickens will get that chance. Lamb will get an abundance of attention, and if Prescott can return to the field healthy, Pickens should put up big numbers. Then, the question becomes, will the Cowboys pay him in 2026?
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Cowboys Will Take Risky Path on George Pickens Contract After Trade