{"id":170281,"date":"2026-03-29T00:18:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T00:18:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=170281"},"modified":"2026-03-29T00:18:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T00:18:19","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8disaster-in-dallas-george-pickens-drama-takes-a-worrying-turn-as-a-bold-prediction-raises-serious-concerns-inside-the-cowboys-locker-room-tension-is-building-and-this-situation-feels-li","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=170281","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8DISASTER IN DALLAS: George Pickens drama takes a worrying turn as a bold prediction raises serious concerns inside the Cowboys locker room. Tension is building, and this situation feels like it could explode at any moment."},"content":{"rendered":"
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In the summer of 2024, news coming out training camp for the\u00a0Dallas Cowboys\u00a0was not dominated by the incoming draft class or the hiring of a new defensive coordinator. No, it was the contract holdout of\u00a0CeeDee Lamb\u00a0and the lack of a new contract for quarterback\u00a0Dak Prescott. In 2025, the offseason was clouded by virtually the same situation, only it was the \u201chold-in\u201d of\u00a0Micah Parsons. Each was a tiresome distraction. And we can expect more in 2026 with\u00a0George Pickens.<\/p>\n

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The Cowboys are in a different situation with Pickens, because they put the franchise tag on him, at $27 million for one year. Pickens is allowed to search out a deal elsewhere, but signing him would cost a team a second-round pick, or the Cowboys could just match the deal. There\u2019s not a lot of incentive, at least as of now, for teams to make a Pickens offer.<\/p>\n

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If Pickens wants to play on the tag contract, he can simply sign it and that will be his contract in 2026. But given the fact that he was No. 3 in the\u00a0NFL\u00a0with 1,429 yards and had a career-high 93 catches, it\u2019s reasonable that he wants a long-term deal and could hold out for it.<\/p>\n

George Pickens, Cowboys Have a Deadline<\/h2>\n

That\u2019s the prediction from Cowboys beat writer Jon Machota of The Athletic, who notes that Pickens and the team are headed for a bumpy offseason. There is no clear indication from Pickens that he will hold out for something better than a franchise-tag contract. But the expectation is that he will.<\/p>\n

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As Machota said on, \u201cThe One-Star Podcast,\u201d Pickens\u2019 options are limited but a lengthy holdout is first on the list. The Cowboys and Pickens have until July 15 to work out a new deal, and once that deadline passes, Pickens could simply sit out until the season starts.<\/p>\n

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George Pickens Likely to Play on Franchise Tag<\/h2>\n

Machota conceded that the Cowboys have the leverage and are probably right to want to see Pickens produce for more than one season\u2013it\u2019s worth noting, too, that by giving Pickens a tag deal, the team is simply operating within the\u00a0confines of the CBA.<\/p>\n

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Said Machota: \u201cI did not say he is going to be there for training camp. I did not say he was going to be there for preseason games. I said that they were going to play him under the tag. We might not see him until, possibly, Week 1. That\u2019s totally in play, absolutely. And he is probably not going to be thrilled about that. But that\u2019s the Cowboy way.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThere\u2019s going to be plenty of drama. Just on that deadline, July 15, when it doesn\u2019t get done, there\u2019s going to be drama about that. I am just saying, when Week 1 comes, I don\u2019t see him missing game checks or anything like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Did Cowboys Suffer From Past Holdouts?<\/h2>\n

The bigger question is whether a Pickens holdout would affect the team. It\u2019s hard to say how much Lamb missing nearly all of camp\u2013the Cowboys finally gave him a new deal with a week to go that summer\u2013affected the team, or how much the Parsons drama that resulted in a late trade hurt the defense last year.<\/p>\n

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But the Cowboys went from 12 wins in three straight years to seven wins each in 2024 and 2025, so it\u2019s hard to the camp shenanigans had no effect. At the very least, they sapped morale a bit. At worst, they may have cost the Cowboys games.<\/p>\n

Have no fear, we\u2019re likely to see it all again in the coming months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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