Have Cowboys already made final George Pickens decision after using franchise tag?

Long before it was reported that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens won't be in a rush to sign the franchise tag and instead will push to receive a multiyear agreement, he admitted that he "made some mistakes" while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2022 through the 2024 season. 

It seems the Cowboys may use Pickens' past against him while handling his status through the offseason. 

George Pickens hasn't earned long-term trust of the Cowboys

On Tuesday, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated explained why "there’s a good chance" Pickens will have to accept playing on the franchise tag worth around $27.3M for the 2026 season. 

"He was unbelievable last year in his first season with Dallas (93 catches, 1,429 yards, nine touchdowns), finally harvesting the talent that’s been so obvious since he was a teenager," Breer wrote about Pickens. "But do you trust that, once he’s paid, he’ll continue to grow, and continue to work, and continue to be the right kind of guy in the locker room, when problems in those areas led to the Steelers giving up on him?"

Throughout his Pittsburgh tenure, Pickens developed a reputation for emotional outbursts during games that seemed related to his wanting more targets. He was also allegedly guilty of a "litany of violations" over that time, such as showing up late for meetings and for a Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs in December 2024. 

George Pickens wasn't always on best behavior with Cowboys

As it pertains to this past season, reports have revealed that the Cowboys fined Pickens at least once for "being late to things." He was benched for an offensive series after he allegedly missed a team bus, and he was accused of running lazy routes during a loss by analysts and some former players. 

In short, keeping Pickens in a contract year may be a smart business decision for the Cowboys. 

Breer added that the Cowboys want to hold onto Pickens "without exchanging vows" and without guaranteeing him money beyond 2026. For what it's worth, Pickens reportedly told Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones last week that he doesn't "want to play anywhere but" Dallas. 

As with most things regarding Pickens' career, actions will speak louder than words.