Cowboys aware of potential fallout of Pickens tag

INDIANAPOLIS -- With the Dallas Cowboys, in the words of executive vice president Stephen Jones, "leaning," toward the franchise tag on Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens, the organization is also aware of the fallout from that potential decision.

While it has not happened recently when the Cowboys have used the franchise tag, players have opted to stay away from their team's offseason program, minicamp and even part of training camp.

"It crosses your mind," Jones said from the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. "I mean a lot of the guys we've tagged participated in everything, Dak (Prescott) leading the way. He played under two of them. He never missed anything. Hopefully that'll be the case here."

The Cowboys have until March 3 to decide to put the franchise tag on Pickens, which would cost around $28 million, but before that will meet with his agents this week in Indianapolis. To date, there have not been any discussions between the two sides.

From 2018-23, the Cowboys used the franchise tag each year: DeMarcus Lawrence (twice), Prescott (twice), tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Tony Pollard. They were able to reach multi-year agreements with Lawrence and Prescott after the players were tagged the second time.

The last time the Cowboys reached a longer-term deal on a first-time tagged player was in 2015 with wide receiver Dez Bryant.

"It can go either way," Jones said. "So we'll just continue to really analyze the situation and see what's next."

Last weekend, the Cowboys agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal with running back Javonte Williams. Last year at the combine they made headway on an $80 million contract for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, who signed before free agency opened.

Jones said he's, "never good at guessing," when these deals come together. The Cowboys had drawn out talks with Prescott and CeeDee Lamb prior to the 2024 season and last year had the same with Micah Parsons, before trading the Pro Bowl pass rusher to the Green Bay Packers the week before the season started.

"In the past we've done deals with top players and it's happened in a hurry," Jones said. "But at the end of the day, every agent's different, what they're trying to accomplish, the way they look at their strategy and what they're about."

The Cowboys' other Pro Bowl receiver, Lamb, is the third-highest paid at his position at $34 million. While the Cowboys can afford to pay Pickens and Lamb, is it the wisest allocation of resources? The Cincinnati Bengals, with Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and Philadelphia Eagles, with Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, have managed through similar high-priced situations.

"Those are all things that we're looking at, so we'll make decisions based on where we ultimately come down," Jones said, reiterating the desire is to keep Pickens. "I mean obviously what we need to get accomplished on the defensive side of the ball is going to affect a lot of things ... It'll be a work in progress."

Even with the tag on Pickens, Jones said the Cowboys, "can do everything we need to do," in free agency.

The Cowboys will restructure the contracts of Prescott, Lamb, Odighizuwa and Tyler Smith to get them not only under the cap but give them room to spend when free agency begins. The Cowboys have not made a splashy free agent signing since 2012 when cornerback Brandon Carr received a five-year, $50 million contract.

Knowing Williams and Pickens will be under contractual control, the Cowboys will look to help their defense in free agency with new coordinator Christian Parker.

"Every year is different and a lot of that will depend on what's out there and the value that we think is there," Jones said. "We'll make decisions based on that. But, yeah, we certainly think we'll end up being involved in free agency this year."