Dak Prescott addressed the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason priorities this week while attending Pro Bowl practices in San Francisco. He left no doubt that wide receiver George Pickens is a key piece for the organization moving forward. Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie contract after a first season in Dallas that ended with Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition.
Dak Prescott Points to George Pickens as a Top Off-Season Priority
Prescott spoke with reporters about the receiver’s contract status and the importance of keeping him in the offense. The Athletic detailed the report. “We’ve got to get one of our guys signed and make sure that we take a big step on offense as well,” Prescott said.
“The guy out here who doesn’t have a contract. It doesn’t matter, whichever way that they got to do it, he’s an important piece of this offense, an important piece of what we’re trying to do. I’ll leave it to those guys. Obviously if I need to get involved, I’ve said it before, I will. But I’m confident in Jerry Jones and everybody who makes those decisions and how much he means to us.”
Pickens was acquired by Dallas last offseason from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade essentially for a third-round draft pick. In 2025, he finished third in the NFL with 1,429 receiving yards. He also notched 93 receptions and nine touchdowns. He was named second-team All-Pro and earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
According to PFSN’s WR Impact metric, Pickens recorded an 88.4 score, ranking third among NFL receivers behind Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Cowboys ranked 12th in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric and averaged 24.3 points per game during a 7-9-1 season that ended without a playoff berth.
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Pickens accounted for 32 percent of Dallas’ receiving yards and produced five games of at least 100 yards, including two in November. Prior to the trade, he totaled 2,841 yards in three seasons with Pittsburgh.
The NFL calendar adds urgency to the decision. The franchise-tag window opens in late February and runs into early March, with unrestricted free agency beginning in mid-March. Pickens sits No. 1 on PFSN’s Top 100 pending free agents list. If Dallas wants to keep him off the open market, a long-term extension or tag would need to be finalized before that period arrives.
Owner Jerry Jones has historically completed major contract extensions later in the offseason. Some notable previous mega deals include Prescott, receiver CeeDee Lamb, and former Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. Dallas enters the spring with limited cap flexibility and multiple starters approaching contract decisions.
Prescott is entering the second year of his current extension and has previously spoken in support of teammates during negotiations. The league’s free-agency period opens in March. The Cowboys have not announced a timeline for negotiations with Pickens, but it would be a shock if Pickens is playing elsewhere in 2026.
