George Pickens is skipping Cowboys OTAs but Brian Schottenheimer isn't worried

The Dallas Cowboys have yet to have George Pickens join them for organized team activities (OTA’s), but coach Brian Schottenheimer doesn’t seem worried about his absence.

Schottenheimer told reporters June 4 he had been in touch with Pickens, all while stressing the voluntary nature of the OTA sessions.

“[I] communicated with GP yesterday,” Schottenheimer said, referring to Pickens by his initials. “He’s got a football camp this weekend that he’s doing.”

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

Schottenheimer also noted that communication with Pickens has “been good” and that the 25-year-old wide-out is “taking care of his business.”

That said, the second-year coach also acknowledged he hadn’t yet spoken to Pickens about whether he would attend the team’s mandatory session.

“I expect he’ll be here,” Schottenheimer said. “I think he’s in a good spot. I know he’s handling his business. I know he misses his teammates, and we miss him too. You guys know how we feel about him. We love him. This is just part of the business.”

Pickens’ absence comes with the fifth-year receiver currently set to play the 2026 NFL season on the franchise tag. The Cowboys slapped him with the tender – worthy a fully guaranteed $27.3 million – before free agency and haven’t yet signed him to a long-term extension.

Dallas has until July 15 to ink Pickens to a long-term deal, but Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones communicated on eve of the 2026 NFL Draft the team isn’t planning to negotiate a long-term deal with Pickens this offseason.

Such an arrangement would put Pickens on track to become a free agent in 2027. It isn’t clear whether he will orchestrate a holdout at any point as he seeks a long-term deal.

But even so, Schottenheimer is putting his faith in the young receiver to hit the ground running whenever he arrives at Cowboys camp.

“How do you prove to your teammates that you’re doing everything in your power to be the best version of yourself if they don’t see you doing that?” Schottenheimer asked rhetorically about player absences from OTAs. “I have no question George is prepared, just like I had no question that Micah was going to prepare or whoever.”

And while Pickens hasn’t yet been on the field for OTAs, Dallas’ other star receiver – CeeDee Lamb – has so far impressed Schottenheimer.

“CeeDee’s had a great camp,” the Cowboys coach said. “He looks awesome. He’s jumping out of his shoes.”