Cowboys quiet offseason puts winning ahead of contract noise

The Cowboys quiet offseason finally has Dallas talking football first, with George Pickens set to report to training camp after the deadline for a long-term deal passed without the kind of contract circus that has followed the team in recent years.

ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that Pickens, who is due to make $27.3 million on the franchise tag, attended mandatory minicamp in June and said he would not hold out of training camp. The July 15 deadline for a multiyear extension came and went with little public drama.

That is a sharp change of tone for a franchise that has made contract tension part of its summer soundtrack. In 2023, right guard Zack Martin missed part of training camp while seeking a revised deal. In 2024, CeeDee Lamb missed most of camp before reaching an extension, while Dak Prescott’s $60 million-per-year agreement arrived the morning of the season opener, according to ESPN.

Then came last year’s Micah Parsons saga. ESPN reported that the All-Pro pass rusher’s contract standoff ended with Dallas trading him to the Green Bay Packers a week before the 2025 season.

Why has the Cowboys offseason been quiet?

The biggest reason is that Pickens did not turn the franchise tag into a standoff. Stephen Jones, the Cowboys’ executive vice president, said after a predraft news conference that there would be no negotiations on a long-term Pickens deal, according to ESPN.

That predraft session still had a very Cowboys twist. ESPN reported that owner and general manager Jerry Jones spotted former President Bill Clinton entering The Star in Frisco, Texas, paused the proceedings to greet him and nearly stumbled while stepping off the stage. Clinton, an old Arkansas friend of Jones, later went with him to the owner’s office.

The showy moment did not turn into a summer-long subplot. As Dallas opens training camp Wednesday in Oxnard, California, ESPN reported that the team’s attention has shifted toward improving a strong offense, repairing a leaky defense and getting back into the playoff mix.

Prescott told ESPN that the focus is “in the right place,” saying players are aimed at getting better each day and can concentrate on winning. Right tackle Terence Steele described the offseason to ESPN as “straight business,” with no media distractions or off-field noise.

All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith also told ESPN the team’s internal focus has felt different, even while acknowledging that the Cowboys remain a constant topic on television.

What does the franchise tag mean for George Pickens?

The franchise tag allows Dallas to keep Pickens for one season at a set salary, rather than losing him or immediately signing him to a longer contract. ESPN reported that his tag figure is $27.3 million for the season.

Jerry Jones has openly embraced the Cowboys’ constant spotlight. At a Netflix premiere last summer for “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys,” he said, according to ESPN, that the Cowboys are a year-round soap opera and that he would help get them attention when things slow down.

There were still sparks around the edges this offseason. ESPN reported Dallas had trade discussions with the Las Vegas Raiders about defensive end Maxx Crosby after his trade to the Baltimore Ravens was voided by a failed physical, but the Cowboys did not resume talks because of their own concerns about Crosby’s knee.

ESPN also reported, citing multiple sources, that Dallas had strong interest in Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby when he entered his name for the supplemental draft, despite gambling issues surrounding him. The NFL ultimately declined to hold a supplemental draft and denied Sorsby eligibility this year, according to ESPN.

For now, the Cowboys arrive at camp with the loudest contract problem muted. In Dallas, that qualifies as news.

This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.