Dak Prescott, George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb gave Dallas Cowboys fans plenty of reasons to smile about during the 2025 NFL season. Despite the Cowboys finishing the campaign with a 7-9-1 record and missing the playoffs entirely, the trio was instrumental in the team scoring 471 points, which ranked seventh in the NFL.

Prescott threw for 4,552 passing yards, including 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, whereas the dynamic receiving duo of Pickens and Lamb recorded 1,429 and 1,077 receiving yards respectively. Despite their eye-catching numbers, the Cowboys missed the postseason entirely, largely because of their defensive struggles.

However, if the Cowboys want to end the 30-year-old Super Bowl drought, Jerry Jones needs to make sure the trio remains in Dallas for the foreseeable future. While Prescott and Lamb have been handed long-term contracts that run through 2028, Pickens’ situation became more complicated during the NFL offseason.

Jones and the Cowboys decided to place the $27.3 million franchise tag on Pickens, which the wide receiver signed late in April. The decision was finalized when the July 15 deadline passed, meaning Pickens cannot sign a multiyear extension until after the 2026 season.

Pickens, however, has been unfazed by Jones’ franchise tag decision and has emerged as one of the standouts at Cowboys’ training camp. Prescott has been impressed by Pickens’ attitude after the Cowboys’ decision and has come out to praise the wide receiver for his efforts.

Prescott told reporters ahead of the Arizona Cardinals game, “He has showed up and been George. I can’t say it has surprised me just because that’s what I’ve expected out of him from the moment he’s been here and what he’s shown us.”

No Cowboys player has stood out more at training camp than George Pickens. He looks ready for another big year.

Dak Prescott on Pickens: “He has showed up and been George. I can’t say it has surprised me just because that’s what I’ve expected out of him from the moment he’s been… pic.twitter.com/TFgK5mBp5o

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 21, 2026

“Going into training camp, playing on the (franchise) tag, the guy wants to play football and he wants to be around his teammates. You just get a vision of that every day and what that looks like when he gets on the field. He’s able to just fully be George, bringing the energy, making the catches, making the plays, obviously with what he brings to this offense he showed last year,” he added.

Pickens has handled the situation with utmost professionalism and remained focused on his game. If he continues to do so, he could strengthen his case for a long-term extension.

Related: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Has Strong Words After Jerry Jones’ Roster Decisions