Gamers are sometimes reluctant to signal a franchise tag, which is a one-year offers groups can use to successfully stop somebody on an expiring deal from reaching free company. If a participant given a non-exclusive franchise tag, for instance, indicators elsewhere, the workforce buying him would have to part with “draft-choice compensation equal to 2 first-round picks,” a worth far too excessive when additionally accounting for the participant’s contract.
Along with capping what gamers may make in comparison with in the event that they had been on the open market, a tag additionally offers no long-term stability, with gamers an damage away from an unsure future.
Per Over The Cap, the 2025 franchise tag quantity for a large receiver is an anticipated $28.8 million. Final offseason, wideouts Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, D.Ok. Metcalf and Garrett Wilson signed contract extensions with a $33.625M common annual worth (AAV). After a profession 12 months when he had 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns, Pickens, 25, may simply eclipse that in free company, doubtless approaching Chase’s AAV ($40.25M).
Schefter notes the Cowboys intend to work out a deal to maintain Pickens within the Lone Star State past 2026 and that the tag might be “for no different purpose than to function a placeholder for the beginning of negotiations.” However after the workforce’s epic botching of All-Professional edge-rusher Micah Parsons’ contract talks final offseason, leading to him being traded to the Green Bay Packers following the 2025 preseason, we should not anticipate issues being regular.
When tasked with both selecting the straightforward or laborious manner, Jones all the time picks the latter. It ought to be pretty easy to barter an extension, however the identical was considered Parsons.
Pickens has performed his manner into incomes a profitable, multi-year extension. The Cowboys can be smart to get a deal out of the way in which so it might probably concentrate on different wants, not draw out the method like with Parsons or quarterback Dak Prescott and huge receiver CeeDee Lamb in 2024.
Jones, nevertheless, enjoys a present greater than the rest. If that comes on the expense of his younger star wideout, then so be it.
