Cowboys on Pickens contract: 'We love him, we want him here'

The Dallas front office isn't mincing words when it comes to re-signing George Pickens as the Cowboys enter the NFL business in 2026.

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are now likely to apply the franchise tag to George Pickens, a pre-arranged deal that could begin at the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis if a deal isn't reached by March 3.

The first deal was made for Javonte Williams, with the two sides signing a three-year deal that allows the talented young running back from Dallas through 2028.Contenders for the next contract include All-Pro kicker Brandon Oubre and impact edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, but it's Pickens who rightly headlines a freebie.

Speaking to reporters before the start of the NFL combine, executive vice president and director of player personnel Stephen Jones gave an update on Pickens and others.

Jones notes that it "takes time" when dealing with so many different schemes, and once it's done it will be at the top of the market.He reiterated that the Cowboys "want Pickens here" and that they "love him" and "think the world of him."

For his part, Pickens has already made it clear that he wants to stay in Dallas, having already developed strong chemistry with All-Pro talents Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, as well as the entire locker room, which Jones sees as "plus" in future contract negotiations.

If Pickens receives the franchise tag, there will be questions outside the building about whether he will decide to play under it.

Jones correctly noted that the Cowboys had "people who played under tags" like Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence and Dalton Schultz in the past, but they also signed people with tags -- especially Prescott and Lawrence, both of whom had their last tags revoked due to new contracts.

For accounting purposes, it's important to note that Pickens would lose a fully guaranteed salary of $28 million and have to miss an entire year of football if he were to be signed and, having not agreed in mid-July, choose not to play under it.

It doesn't sound like that's what worries the Cowboys right now, especially considering they can get a deal with the newly crowned Pro Bowler, who is coming off a 1,400-yard, nine-touchdown season, career highs in both areas;and Jones says, if push comes to shove, the Cowboys can still "do whatever we need" if they're tied to the franchise tag of $28 million, since they can free up more than $130 million just by restructuring, which doesn't require player approval.

Jones also touched on other topics.

These include holding contract negotiations with Aubrey, evaluating the "fitness" of Clowney in the defense of Christian Parker, "clearly open" to another possible trade - possibly including one of the two options of the first team - and whether this period of time will be "to fix the defense," and the staff in Parker's place now under the ball.

A crucial offseason is now in full swing for the Cowboys and their new-look defensive staff, but as important as rebuilding that side of the ball is, Dallas also understands that the most important thing is protecting Pickens for the future...and they plan for it.