For the struggling Dallas Cowboys, who finished the 2025 season with a 7-9-1 record, missing the playoffs for the second straight year, George Pickens was one of the few bright spots. Yes, there were concerns surrounding the wideout’s trade from the Steelers, including worries about his volatile on-field behavior, long-term outlook, and fit as a team member.
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Pickens, however, has been on his best behavior in Dallas. So, does that mean a strong payday is coming?
Pickens earned his first Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors this season. He was that good after leaving Pittsburgh last summer. The 24-year-old WR racked up 1,429 yards, nine touchdowns, and 93 receptions, all career highs. He has become a player the Cowboys cannot afford to lose if they are serious about chasing a Super Bowl.
That is why he is expected to command $25 million or more in a multi-year contract. In fact, Spotrac projects that he could earn over $30 million per year. Perhaps he could make even north of $34 million annually, which is the amount his teammate CeeDee Lamb is making.
But would that create tension or make Lamb feel slighted? The receiver says, no.
During a sit-down interview, Lamb was asked how he would feel if Pickens signed a more lucrative contract than his. His response was humble, to say the least.
“I would feel great [if he secured a better contract than me]. I honestly never watch anyone’s money, but mine, and what I can do for my family. And what I can do for myself,” Lamb said on CBS Sports.
“If he makes more money than me, I’ll be the first to congratulate him, personally. I’ve never watched anybody’s money. That’s never been the type of person I am. I am a man, he’s a man. He has his own responsibilities. In fact, I do hope he makes more. I really do. I told you I [have] no ego here,” added the wideout.
How would CeeDee Lamb feel about George Pickens getting a larger deal than him to remain with the Cowboys?
“I would feel great … In fact, I hope he do make more.”
️ @BMac_SportsTalk pic.twitter.com/oa5iqzfwzq— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) February 6, 2026
It was quite the response from Lamb. Full of leader energy. Lamb signed his four-year, $136 million contract in 2024, which came in just behind Justin Jefferson’s $35 million-per-year deal.
The deal came after Lamb’s summer standoff with the team, including a lengthy training camp holdout and occasional social media jabs at ownership. So, he knows what lies ahead for Pickens.
In a perfect world, Pickens could get his deal done before hitting free agency on March 11. In a worst-case scenario, he gets tagged, which is projected at $28.8 million as early as Feb. 17. That would likely lead to a training camp holdout and similar complications.
That situation would be similar to what we saw with Micah Parsons last year, before he was traded to Green Bay. The team would not want that outcome with Pickens, especially with star QB Dak Prescott asserting that the Cowboys must ensure he stays.
“We’ve got to get one of our guys signed. The guy out here that doesn’t have a contract (George Pickens). So, I’ll leave it to those guys. Obviously, if I need to get involved, I will. But I’m confident in Jerry and everybody who makes those decisions and how much he means to us,” Prescott told Clarence Hill Jr.
With the Super Bowl just days away, Pickens’ story may quiet down for now. However, expect it to resurface as a headline again in the first week of March.
