It was reported over the weekend that the Dallas Cowboys plan to place the franchise tag on free agent wide receiver George Pickens. In related news, the sun will come up tomorrow, and the Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl in 30 years.
It's certainly possible that Pickens ends up playing on the tag in 2026, but in a perfect world, it ends up being a placeholder for the start of negotiations. The way Dallas' decision-makers have spoken about Pickens makes it clear that a long-term extension is the ultimate goal.
Or is it? Reporting on NFL Game Day Morning, insider Ian Rapoport said he wouldn't rule out the Cowboys trading Pickens after tagging him.