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Skip Bayless rarely runs out of things to complain about and thanks to the Dallas Cowboys’ ongoing drama with star wide receiver George Pickens, he probably won’t run out for the rest of the NFL season.
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The Cowboys recently announced the formation of a new leadership council that includes CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson among others. Absent from the council, as Bayless noted, is Pickens, who is set to play the 2026 season on the franchise tag.
Bayless declared that Pickens’ absence from the list was a case of the team sending Pickens a message and will become “another reason to potentially pout.”
“Cowboys announce this season’s 10-player leadership council, including CeeDee and Jake Ferguson. No George Pickens. Another message sent … and yet another reason to potentially pout,” Bayless wrote.
Slight or Smart?
While Bayless might be furious with Pickens’ “exclusion” from the leadership council, but it might also be more of a continuity thing than anything else.
Of the 11 members of the council, punter Bryan Anger is the only one who isn’t under contract with the team beyond the 2026 season. Everyone else is under contract through at least 2027 if not longer.
With Pickens having only one year left on his deal, the team is perhaps just trying to ensure continuity if Pickens does leave as a free agent next offseason.
As far as anyone can tell, Pickens is taking his situation in stride. He isn’t holding out for a better deal, he isn’t running his mouth on social media and he certainly isn’t complaining in interviews or podcasts.
It seems that Pickens is content to let his play on the field do the talking as it pertains to 2027 contract negotiations. The Cowboys have probably just accepted that they won’t be able to find middle ground with Pickens next offseason and are just going to treat 2026 as his final year with them.
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The sooner Bayless accepts that, the better his mental health will remain.
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This story was originally published July 30, 2026 at 9:45 AM.