Cowboys news: Jerry Jones makes George Pickens guarantee for next season
The George Pickens trade already looks like one of the most important moves of the Cowboys’ recent history, and the momentum around it is only growing. Since arriving from Pittsburgh, Pickens has given Dallas the true second elite receiver the offense has been missing, turning games like the comeback win over Philadelphia into proof-of-concept for a 2026 Super Bowl push.
The flip side is brutal for the Steelers, who now watch a player they could not keep aligned with Mike Tomlin become a centerpiece of another franchise’s future while questions about their own direction keep piling up.
Inside the building, there is zero appetite to let that future slip away. Speaking on 105.3 The Fan, owner Jerry Jones made it clear he does not envision Pickens in any uniform but a star.
Reporters Joseph Hoyt and DLLS Cowboys relayed the same message from Jones: he “doesn’t see George Pickens playing anywhere else” next season and “doesn't see George Pickens anywhere else but playing in Dallas in 2026.”
Jones went even further, saying that at the moment the Cowboys “have two No. 1 receivers and that’s just exceptional right at the time when… our quarterback is probably the best he’s ever been, and there’s more there.”
Those comments cut straight to the negotiating table that awaits after the season. Dallas essentially stole Pickens for a future third-rounder, and after watching him dominate high-leverage snaps with Dak Prescott, Jones knows that letting the relationship drift toward uncertainty would undo that advantage.
Whether it is an extension or the franchise tag, the tone from the top suggests that keeping Pickens has become non-negotiable in Dallas’ roster planning.
The urgency is heightened by how quickly Pickens has become indispensable. He is already playing through knee and calf issues, missing a walkthrough alongside KaVontae Turpin after the win over the Eagles, even as the staff remains optimistic he will go on Thanksgiving against the Chiefs.
In a season where Dallas finally looks like it has the firepower to scare anyone, you can see why Jones is drawing a line in the sand. The Cowboys believe they now have the passing trio, Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Pickens, that can carry them back to true contender status, and they are not interested in letting another team benefit from that investment.
Deion Sanders’ Son Cut Hours After Controversial Bills Incident
Shilo Sanders went into Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Bills fighting for a job — but may have taken the assignment a bit too literally.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety — the son of Colorado coach and former NFL legend Deion Sanders — was on the fringe of the roster bubble heading into his team’s preseason finale. Sanders ended up getting an early exit after he threw a punch at Bills tight end Zach Davidson in the second quarter, earning himself an ejection.
The incident was especially costly to Sanders, who was waived by the team just hours later.
Shilo Sanders Loses His Cool
Sanders signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie free agent and had been fighting for a spot in the secondary. Team insiders saw him as a likely cut before Saturday’s incident, but the fight may have sealed his fate.
As ESPN noted in its report on the game, Sanders seemed to get in hot water immediately after the fight.
“Sanders punched tight end Zach Davidson, who was blocking him, after some heavy pushing and shoving in the second quarter,” the report noted. “Bucs linebacker John Bullock tried to calm Sanders afterward, and Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles looked at Sanders as he walked back to the sideline.”
Bowles publicly called Sanders out after the game, setting the stage for his release early in the day on Sunday.
“You can’t throw punches in this league — that’s inexcusable,” Bowles said. “They’re going to get you every time. You’ve got to grow from that.”
Sanders and his brother, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, both faced a battle to make their respective NFL rosters. Shedeur Sanders came into the preseason fourth on the quarterback depth chart in Cleveland, but said this weekend that he believes he did enough to earn a roster spot.
“I think, overall as a player, I’ve put in the work,” Sanders said, via ESPN. “I feel like everything I do, I try to do it to my best, and that’s all I can ask for.
“I feel like everybody feels like they should be on the team. If you ask anybody on the team, would they feel like they belong — they belong in their own eyes. I feel like I do, but I’m my own player. I think about myself in a high regard, of course. It’s not my decision.”
Bills Face Their Own Difficult Secondary Decisions
The Bills have some of their own tough decisions ahead in the secondary, especially after being hit with some injuries over the last few weeks. The team’s first-round cornerback, Maxwell Hairston, has been out since July with a knee injury and veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White was hurt this week.
The Bills may need to bring in some outside help depending on how much longer Hairston and White could miss, and could turn to a familiar face. Cornerback Rasul Douglas, who started 15 games for the Bills last season, remains on the open market after hitting free agency and could make a return to Buffalo if the Bills want to bring in some trusted help.
