Jerry Jones tries to get George Pickens to ditch his agent

NBC Sports • March 31, 2026 • sports

Key Points:

Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones has a history of attempting to negotiate contracts directly with players, a tactic that contributed to the breakdown of his relationship with linebacker Micah Parsons last year.
This year, Jones is trying to negotiate directly with franchise-tagged receiver George Pickens, who shares the same agent, David Mulugheta, as Parsons.
Jones suggested Pickens could save money by negotiating without an agent, but experts believe Pickens is unlikely to fall for this, as agents like Mulugheta secure significantly better deals for their clients.
Parsons recently signed a $120 million fully guaranteed contract with the Packers, far exceeding what the Cowboys were willing to offer, highlighting the potential downside of Jones's direct negotiation approach.
Despite Jones's efforts to bypass agents, the NFL Players Association has not yet taken action, partly because current fines are minimal, but there are calls for stronger penalties in future Collective Bargaining Agreements.

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