George Pickens Joins Cowboys Mandatory Minicamp After Skipping Voluntary Workouts

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens participated in the first day of the team's mandatory minicamp Tuesday in Frisco, Texas, after skipping the voluntary portion of the 2026 offseason program. Pickens went through individual drills and caught passes from quarterback Dak Prescott. After one completion, he performed a celebratory dance.

At the end of practice, coach Brian Schottenheimer had Pickens break down the team huddle. "Everybody was cheering," running back Javonte Williams said. "I mean we were all glad to see him back. " Pickens, 25, said he is prepared to play the 2026 season on the franchise tag.

"Like the tag and all that, it's just football first," he said. "So, definitely play football first, kind of like I did last year, and then worry about [the contract] ... 3 million franchise tag on Pickens before he signed it.

He waited two months after the tag was placed before signing the one-year tender in early May. The Cowboys announced before the April 2026 NFL Draft that they would not negotiate a long-term contract with him. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones and coach Brian Schottenheimer spoke with Pickens about the franchise-tag decision before he signed the tender.

Pickens said he did not ask Jones why the team chose not to pursue a long-term deal. " "Just definitely as a person, as anybody, I would want you to tell your kids or friends exactly what you're going to do," Pickens said. Schottenheimer said he never doubted Pickens would attend minicamp.

Discussions with Pickens on Monday focused on life and offseason activities including golf. "He's gotten into golf, which is cool. I love to play golf, so might have to go take his money on the golf course a little bit," Schottenheimer said.

Pickens had been working out and running routes at a high school without a quarterback and had throwing sessions with Prescott during the offseason. He told the Cowboys before the draft that he intended to sign the franchise tag. Schottenheimer said Pickens would be limited to individual work during the three-day minicamp and would not participate in team drills.