Stephen Jones: It will be "real difficult" to keep both George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb long term

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones admitted that keeping both wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens beyond 2026 will be a significant challenge. Jones expressed that his team cannot afford to match the market rates for two top receivers, stating that not many teams can afford to do so. The Dallas Cowboys managed to extend Lamb's contract with a four-year, $136 million deal, making his average salary $34 million, which ranks sixth among wide receivers.

On the other hand, Pickens signed a one-year, $27.3 million franchise tag for the upcoming season. After a career year where he made 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, Pickens is eager to secure a long-term contract to compete for another top performance. However, the burden of rewarding a top-performing player with a lucrative contract falls on the Cowboys.

The team's recent success against the Eagles highlights the difficulty of defending against such a formidable duo. Jones believes that if Lamb and Pickens continue to excel in the coming seasons, it will only intensify the pressure on the team to provide them with substantial contract extensions.