George Pickens turned the first page of his Dallas Cowboys chapter after a successful 2025 season, but Dallas is already facing a difficult question about how long it can keep him alongside CeeDee Lamb. If both receivers deliver another big season in 2026, COO Stephen Jones expects Pickens’ price to rise significantly heading into 2027. Jones said that the situation looks “difficult”.
“You look at the situation we have with Pickens going alongside CeeDee,” Cowboys’Jones said on DLLS Cowboys podcast. “I don’t know of any teams that really can pay two top receivers at the top of the market. So that’s going to be a really difficult situation as we move forward.”
He added, “We’ve managed to figure out how we can do it for this year. Certainly, if everything works out the way we think it is, CeeDee and George both have huge years again, then it’ll be a bigger challenge next year. George really wants to put back-to-back years on top of one another, so it’ll help his market.”
Also Read: Joe Milton release: Stephen Jones reveals why Cowboys moved on despite impressive preseason
What's New
“And certainly, I know at some point, as does every player in this league, will want to be rewarded with a long-term contract. So that certainly puts pressure on us to have a unique situation there,” he added,
Pickens is playing the 2026 season under the Cowboys’ franchise tag, with a projected salary of $29.6 million. Dallas and Pickens did not reach a long-term extension before the deadline, leaving him on a one-year tender.
(Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
If Pickens has another strong season alongside Lamb, his market value could rise significantly. The Cowboys could extend him, tag him again, or let him enter free agency. Jones acknowledged Dallas has made the duo work financially this year, but said it would be “a bigger challenge next year” if both receivers have huge seasons.
source on Google Go here and check the box
next to Cowboys.news
CeeDee Lamb’s $136 million makes the equation complicated
The Cowboys have already committed significant money to Lamb, making it difficult to envision the team giving another wide receiver a similarly massive contract. Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million extension with the Cowboys in August 2024, including $100 million guaranteed. The deal made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid wide receivers, with an average annual value of $34 million through the 2028 season. And that puts pressure on the Cowboys’ front office, according to Jones.
Jones did not rule out finding a solution, but his comments make it clear that the Cowboys know they are heading toward a difficult decision. If Lamb and Pickens both establish themselves as top-of-the-market receivers, Dallas could be forced to choose how aggressively it wants to invest at the position.
At the same time, the Cowboys have other roster needs to consider. Paying two elite receivers at the top of the market could limit the flexibility available to strengthen other areas of the team. Therefore, Pickens’ 2026 season carries implications far beyond his production on the field. But there is a way.
The Cowboys front office can go the Cincinnati Bengals’ way
There is precedent for successfully paying two elite receivers, and the Cowboys may look to the Cincinnati Bengals for inspiration. The Bengals navigated this exact scenario by committing significant resources to both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Cincinnati signed Chase to a four-year extension worth $161 million, averaging $40.25 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid receivers in NFL history.
Simultaneously, they retained Higgins on a long-term deal averaging approximately $28 million per year. The Bengals demonstrated that with proper cap management and creative structuring, it is possible to keep two star receivers.
However, the Bengals’ situation differs from Dallas’ in crucial ways. Cincinnati built its roster around quarterback Joe Burrow on his rookie contract before his extension kicked in, allowing them flexibility.
The Cowboys face the additional challenge of quarterback Dak Prescott‘s $60 million annual cap hit, which restricts their financial flexibility in ways the Bengals did not experience.
But for now, George Pickens contract situation remains under Dallas’ control for the 2026 season. What happens after that could depend heavily on how well he performs and just how high his asking price climbs.
