It’s been a tumultuous offseason for wide receiver George Pickens.
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After the Dallas Cowboys informed him they had zero plans to sign him to a long-term contract extension, Pickens signed his one-year franchise tender and the team isn’t expected to trade him before next offseason.
Though he’s officially under contract now, Pickens was a no-show at the Cowboys’ OTAs — something fans and reports made note of. However, fellow WR CeeDee Lamb doesn’t appear to be all that concerned with his teammate not being at the facility right now.
“GP is a guy who understands who he is and we all understand what he’s going through,” Lamb told NFL Network’s Jane Slater. “For him, just stay on top of his game and staying sharp so when he gets here it’s going to be very seamless.
“He’s like a brother. I talk to him just about every single day. Our relationship on and off the field, it’s still the same. It’s unbelievable. … As far as getting back out here, can’t wait to have him here next week.”
George Pickens #3 and CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrate a touchdown during the second quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 17, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)Lamb’s sentiments were shared by head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who didn’t seem all too concerned that Pickens wasn’t on the field on Thursday. Schottenheimer admitted that he expects to see Pickens back with the team in the not-too-distant future.
“As you guys know, it’s voluntary,” Schottenheimer said of Pickens’ absence. “I [spoke] with GP yesterday. He’s got a football camp this weekend that he’s doing. Communication has been good.
“… I expect he’ll be here [for minicamp], and I think he’s in a good spot. I know he’s handling his business, and I know he misses his teammates. We miss him, too. You guys know how we feel about him — we love him, and this is just part of the business.”
Pickens is coming off a breakout season, in which he totaled 93 catches, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns. Though he thought he did enough to get paid this offseason, the Cowboys clearly felt differently.
While Dallas’ decision to franchise-tag Pickens was controversial, it may have been a smart call for the team to incentivize the 25-year-old to have another Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2026.
If he does, Pickens could price himself out of Dallas — though there certainly would be no shortage of teams lining up to sing him to a big-money deal to be their WR1.
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