Jerry Jones, Cowboys Could Make Polarizing Decision on WR...

By Cole SullivanShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

The Dallas Cowboys are coming off their best performance of the NFL season in Week 11, defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 33-16 behind dominant efforts from quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver George Pickens.

Prescott completed 25 of 33 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns, while Pickens recorded nine receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown, continuing his breakout campaign in his first season with the Cowboys after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This season, Pickens has 58 receptions for 908 yards and seven touchdowns. He has firmly established himself as the team’s clear No. 2 receiver behind CeeDee Lamb and has even shown he can be the go-to target for Prescott when called upon.

However, with a stellar season comes a major decision. Pickens is set to hit the free-agent market this offseason and will likely seek a long-term contract extension with a significant pay raise if he continues his career year. That could spark controversy, as the Cowboys currently rank dead last in available cap space entering next season.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will have to open his pockets if he wants to keep Pickens, a question he has been asked repeatedly this season but has yet to answer definitively, despite praising Pickens on numerous occasions.

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On Friday, ahead of the team’s showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles, ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that the Cowboys could make the polarizing decision to franchise tag Pickens.

This would lock him down for one more season with a pay raise, but it can also create drama, as players often dislike being franchise-tagged due to the uncertainty it brings for their long-term future.

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"I’d love to be back—especially with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, all the guys really," Pickens said this week.

When asked about signing the franchise tag if it’s offered, which would be worth roughly $28 million according to Over The Cap, Pickens added: "I’d probably have to wait until that comes. I can’t really see into the future."

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