Cowboys WR George Pickens has been a home-run addition; here's how he's running up his upcoming price tag

LAS VEGAS -- The Dallas Cowboys knew when they traded for explosive, 24-year-old wide receiver George Pickens that they were signing up for the whole package: the energy, excitement and moments that make coaches and teammates alike shake their heads.

Dallas will take the entire package that Pickens provides after his relentless energy helped fuel the Cowboys to an overpowering 33-16 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on "Monday Night Football" in Week 11.

He produced a game-high 144 yards receiving on a game-high nine catches, which included a 37-yard touchdown catch that began with him breaking ankles and ended with Pickens throwing himself into the goal post.

"I don't know what made me jump on the goal post, but I'm not going to do that again," Pickens said with a smile. "... I probably just say God gifted, thank God.

"Turned around and caught an in route. I was a little short [of the sticks]. A guy missed a tackle, running full speed. Walked into the end zone. I don't know about the goal post."

"He's a one-of-a-kind guy," Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott added of Pickens. "Special individual. Elite. Has a great feel for the game. Loves the game. Plays the game like a kid. When you watch him play, the energy, the celebrations, that's contagious."

Pickens' energy also led to him breaking four or five tackles on an eventual gain of 21 yards that energized Dallas in the second half.

"Credit to the guys, for real, for real," Pickens said. "As far as me on my behalf, I'll probably just say running the ball hard. I feel like that's one thing I was emphasizing after the catch.

"I knew they were going to be having a lot of zone drops. A lot of zone drops. Definitely run after catch."  

Coach Brian Schottenheimer is more than willing to deal with things like Pickens' unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for jumping into the goal post after his 37-yard catch-and-run touchdown because of Pickens' electricity being more of a benefit than a detractor.

That said, Schottenheimer is still working on fine tuning that balance with Pickens after having him and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb sit out the opening series of the game.

"I love the energy he brings. We talk. We share an arm around the shoulder a little bit, but he's a fun guy to coach, man," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. "The energy that you see on the field, on the game, is the way he approaches practices. That's what I love about him, and it's cool for me as a coach, again, to see the relationship with him and CeeDee.

"... You try to play on the edge and not go over the edge, and he's kind of right here all the time. That's why I think he's such a great player, but I'll say it again: I love him. I really do. I love the young man. I tell him that all the time."

His effort turning into a final box score total of 144 yards is eye popping, but Pickens calmly declared that these types of nights could be the norm for him while playing with Prescott and Lamb in Schottenheimer's offense. 

"Just really credit to the guys -- honestly, bro," Pickens said. "I can only do this as much as they can you know what I mean? I'm with them every day. I just feel like when we execute those types of games can happen for me. Definitely shout out to the guys."

"GP was bothering [the defense] today," Lamb said.

How much will Pickens' price tag cost? 

Pickens is in the final year of his rookie deal in 2025, and he's been bothering the entire league in Year 1 as a Cowboy. His 908 yards receiving this season rank as the second-most in the NFL behind only Seattle Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba's's 1,146, but Pickens' 908 yards receiving through 10 games are the most in Cowboys history in a player's first 10 games with the team.

His 10-game start with 908 yards and seven receiving touchdowns on 58 catches also makes Pickens the fourth player in Cowboys history with at least 900 yards receiving and seven touchdowns through seven games.

He joins Hall of Famers Bob Hayes (1966), Michael Irvin (1995) and Terrell Owens (2007) in that exclusive club.

With Pickens playing at an All-Pro level, that raises the question of what his market next offseason will be and how both he and the Cowboys will approach his looming contract negotiations. Factoring in both his age (24) and him currently being the NFL's No. 2 leader in receiving yards, Pickens' market is climbing into the top five contracts stratosphere at the position.

The closest age comparison at this financial level is New York Jets No. 1 wide receiver Garrett Wilson. He's 25 years old and on a four-year, $130 million contract, a deal that ranks as the fifth-best at the wide receiver position in both total value and average per year salary ($32.5 million).

However, how much Pickens gets paid will also fall on what his priorities are. If it's to get the most money possible, he could find himself franchise-tagged or on another team in 2026.

If it's to keep putting up video game numbers alongside Prescott and Lamb in Schottenheimer's offense, then there could be a long-term deal to keep him in Dallas if he's willing to take a slightly below market deal.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones did say a month ago that he was considering making salary cap room to pay Pickens at a high level. Pickens himself said at the end of October that he "wouldn't mind, definitely" re-signing with the Cowboys.

The ball is in Jones' court to shrug off his salary cap fears and make an effort to re-sign Pickens like the wide receiver shrugged off Raiders defenders. What is known is the longer Jones waits to re-sign Pickens, the more his price tag will continue to climb.