Unlike last offseason, the Dallas Cowboys are proving to be dealmakers in February.
Two days after Javonte Williams agreed to a three-year deal with the team, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones told reporters they have every intent to retain receiver George Pickens and are "leaning toward" using the franchise tag to ensure he remains in Dallas.
"We want Pickens here. We think the world of him," Jones said. "Want him here. Love him, and I think he wants to be here. So all that's a plus."
The franchise tag tends to elicit grimaces from players on the receiving end of them because of how it hinders their long-term earning power and limits them to a one-year, relatively lucrative (but high risk) pay day. Like most players, Pickens would likely prefer to sign a competitive, multi-year deal, especially after producing the best season of his career -- 93 catches, 1,429 yards, nine TDs -- in 2025, his first campaign with the Cowboys.
It remains an option for anyone who is tagged but requires willing participation in negotiations from both parties. As Jones said Monday, the Cowboys are certainly willing to explore such an option.
"We've had people play under the tag and we've made deals with people that have a tag," Jones said. "It can go either way. We'll continue to really analyze the situation and see what's next."
The franchise tag would guarantee Pickens will only play in Dallas in 2026. It also solves a major question in the short term, crossing Pickens off a list that began with Williams after the running back posted his own career-best season (1,201 yards, 11 touchdowns) in 2025 and continues with premier kicker Brandon Aubrey, with whom Jones admitted the Cowboys have been engaged in contract talks for a prolonged period.
Keeping key contributors from the NFL's second-ranked offense was a vital objective in the 2026 offseason. But Dallas is also acutely aware of what held it back -- the defense -- in 2025 and would be wise to dedicate most of its remaining resources toward that side of the ball.
The process began with two significant trades executed at the start of and during the season. The Cowboys made the stunning decision to ship All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay in exchange for two first-round picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark, then followed that up by acquiring All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in a trade with the struggling Jets at the November trade deadline.
It continued when the Cowboys revamped their defensive staff by firing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and replacing him with Vic Fangio lieutenant Christian Parker.
The work is not done, though.
“Yeah. We want to fix this defense," Jones said when asked if there was a willingness to exhaust the Cowboys' budget in the offseason. "We feel really good about the offensive side of the ball now that we got Javonte done and we know that we’ll have George back. So, we feel really good about that side of the ball. Obviously we spent a lot of time on it already in the offseason, revamping the defensive coaching staff, and now we’ll take the next steps, which are to improve the personnel on that side of the ball.”
The Cowboys believe they've already solved half of the equation by hiring Parker, a coach Jones said has "a great defensive mind" and already impressed in how he constructed his defensive staff.
Now, it's up to Jones and the rest of the Cowboys' personnel department to finish the job with roster construction. That process will ramp up toward top speed in the weeks ahead.