Yahoo Sports NFL on George Pickens

ArticleJoey Porter Jr.'s illness invites speculation that it was contract related (eve...October 9, 2026

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they persuaded him to play under the franchise tag for $27.298 million in 2026, even though the market is now north of $42 million

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Pickens accepted $27.3M franchise tag despite $42M+ market value.

The Cowboys persuaded Pickens to play under the franchise tag for $27.298 million in 2026, even though the market is now north of $42 million. This represents significant undervaluation relative to the open market, and the source uses Pickens as a precedent for how the Cowboys may handle similar contract situations with other players like Joey Porter Jr.