Less than a month ago, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones sounded pretty optimistic about keeping both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens around long-term, calling it “realistic.” Well, ditch that idea, because this week, Jones pulled a total 180, flat out admitting that holding onto both star receivers beyond 2026 is gonna be “real difficult.” Talk about a quick change of tune, right?
The Salary Cap Crunch Is Real
Jones didn’t mince words, telling the DLLS Cowboys podcast, “I don’t know of any teams that really can pay two top receivers top of the market, so that’s gonna be a real difficult situation as we move forward.” He’s basically saying the money just ain’t there for two guys demanding huge deals. Look, Lamb already locked in his bag before the 2024 season, signing a four-year, $136 million extension. That $34 million annual average puts him sixth among all receivers, which is huge. Meanwhile, Pickens is playing this season on a one-year, $27.3 million franchise tag. Jones mentioned they’ve “managed to figure out how we can do it for this year,” which tells you they’re already stretching things. But he’s clear: if both Lamb and Pickens have “huge years again,” then next year’s gonna be an even “bigger challenge.”
You see teams like the Bengals make it work with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, signing them to four-year extensions in 2025 for $161 million and $115 million respectively. And yeah, the Eagles paid A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, though they ended up trading Brown this offseason. But here’s the kicker: if Pickens has another monster year, he’s gonna want, and totally deserve, way more than what Higgins or Smith got. That’s the real pressure point for the Cowboys’ front office.
Pickens’ Huge Year Piles On The Pressure
Pickens is coming off an absolute career year, hauling in 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. Those numbers speak for themselves, and he’s not slowing down. Jones knows it, too, saying, “George is really wanting to put back-to-back years on top of one another, so it’ll help his market.” Every player in this league wants that long-term security, and Pickens is absolutely no different. He’s earned the right to chase that big contract, which Jones admits “certainly puts pressure on us to have a unique situation there at wide receiver.”
It’s a weird spot to be in, because the Cowboys actually *hope* they run into this exact problem next offseason. Why? Because if Pickens has another huge year and Lamb keeps crushing it, that means their offense was probably electric. Jones even brought up how tough it was for Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker when Parker was with the Eagles, going up against “Dak and those two receivers” twice a year. It was a challenge then, and it’s a challenge for the Cowboys now, but from the inside! That kind of offensive firepower is what every team dreams of, but it comes with a price tag that few can actually stomach.
So, all eyes are on how Lamb and Pickens perform this season. The Cowboys are stuck between a rock and a hard place: hoping for monster years from both their stars, knowing full well those monster years will make it even tougher to keep them together. It’s a high-stakes season for those two, and for the Cowboys’ front office trying to figure out how to make the impossible happen.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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