The Dallas Cowboys expect wide receiver George Pickens to be in attendance when their mandatory minicamp begins on June 16.
Pickens signed his franchise tag on April 29, locking him in for 2026 with a guaranteed salary of $27.3 million, but he has been a no-show so far for voluntary offseason activities.
“I expect he’ll be here,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters Thursday. “I think he’s in a good spot, but, again, I know he’s handling his business. I know he misses his teammates, (and) we miss him, too. You know how we feel about him. We love him. This is just part of the business.”
Pickens, 25, is coming off his first Pro Bowl season in 2025, when he caught 93 passes on 137 targets for 1,429 yards with nine touchdowns — all career bests — in 17 games (15 starts) in his first year with Dallas.
“I communicated with GP yesterday,” Schottenheimer told reporters Thursday. “He’s got a [youth] football camp this weekend, that he’s doing himself. Communication has been good and as you guys know, it’s voluntary. He’s taking care of his business.”
The Cowboys’ front office has said the team is not interested in negotiating a long-term deal with Pickens at this time, nor is it looking to trade him.
Dallas placed the franchise tag on Pickens on Feb. 27, the first time the team had used the franchise tag since 2023 with running back Tony Pollard.
Pittsburgh drafted Pickens in the second round in 2022 out of Georgia and he played his first three seasons with the Steelers. He has produced 267 receptions, 4,270 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in 65 games (55 starts).
