Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told the team’s website that Dallas wants to keep George Pickens for “a long time,” and will take a step toward that by placing the franchise tag on the Pro Bowl wide receiver, ESPN reported on Saturday.

Per the report, the fully guaranteed tag — which can be applied from Feb. 17 to March 3 — will cost the Cowboys approximately $28 million.

By placing the tag on Pickens, Dallas would limit his free agent options and up the odds that he would stay put following a 93-catch, nine-touchdown and 1,429-yard campaign — all career-high numbers. Pickens also collected his first Pro Bowl nod and earned second-team all-NFL honors per the Associated Press.

“I’m talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him,” Jones told the team website this week. “He’s better than, as far as what he contributed to our team, showing the potential that he could contribute. I’m looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy a long time.”

Pickens, who turns 25 on March 4, is among 15 unrestricted free agents for the Cowboys — a group that includes defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and running back Javonte Williams.

Count quarterback Dak Prescott among those in Cowboys camp who want to see the former Georgia star receiver return this fall.

“I think it must be done,” Prescott said at this week’s Pro Bowl Games. “I think obviously from Jerry to everybody down understands that. The impact on this offense and the team and the great player that he is, we’ve got to find a way to keep him here.”

In four NFL seasons, including the first three with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft, Pickens has produced 267 receptions, 21 touchdowns and 4,270 receiving yards in 65 games (55 starts).

–Field Level Media

Kanon Catchings scored 23 points, Jeremiah Wilkinson added 18 and Georgia overcame a 15-point, first-half deficit to run away from LSU 83-71 on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.

Somto Cyril scored 12 points and Blue Cain had 10 for the Bulldogs (17-6, 5-5), who ended a three-game losing streak.

Max Mackinnon scored 26, Marquel Sutton added 14 and Pablo Tamba finished with 12 rebounds and seven points to lead the Tigers (14-9, 2-8), who played their second consecutive game without starting point guard Dedan Thomas (lower leg injury).

Cain made a 3-pointer to start the second-half scoring and increase Georgia’s lead to 45-37. LSU trimmed the lead to four, but another Cain 3-pointer helped the Bulldogs push the lead to 52-43.

Georgia led by nine a second time before Mackinnon, who finished 10 of 10 at the foul line, made six free throws to help the Tigers creep within 57-53. Catchings answered with a 3-pointer that started a 10-2 run that gave the Bulldogs a 67-55 lead.

Catchings’ 3-pointer completed an 8-0 run that gave the Bulldogs a 77-60 lead with 4:15 remaining.

The lead never fell below double figures the rest of the way.

Mackinnon made two layups and a 3-pointer as LSU raced to a 9-2 lead. Georgia got within five on multiple occasions before PJ Carter made consecutive 3-pointers to complete a 10-0 spurt that gave the Tigers a 31-16 lead.

Then everything changed.

Catchings and Marcus Millender made consecutive 3-pointers to complete an 8-0 run that pulled the Bulldogs within seven. Michael Nwoko made a dunk to end the run, but Georgia scored the next five points to get within 33-29.

The Bulldogs closed within four before Mackinnon answered with a layup for LSU’s final points of the half. Wilkinson scored the first five points and added another field goal during an 11-0 spurt that left Georgia with a 42-37 halftime lead.

–Field Level Media

MILAN, Italy — Francesca Lollobrigida powered to victory in the women’s 3,000 meters speed skating on Saturday, bringing Italy its first gold medal of the Milan Cortina Games and ending Dutch dominance marked by three straight Olympic titles at the distance.

Norway’s Ragne Wiklund and Canada’s Valerie Maltais joined her on the podium as the speed skating program got under way at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.

Lollobrigida tore around the oval to smash the Olympic record, stopping the clock at three minutes and 54.28 seconds – 2.26 seconds clear of Wiklund – to secure Italy’s first-ever women’s speed skating Olympic title.

It was the 35-year-old’s first Olympic gold, adding to the 3,000m silver and mass start bronze she won in Beijing in 2022.

Competing in her fourth Olympics – and doing so on her birthday in front of a roaring home crowd – Lollobrigida turned the weight of expectation into fuel.

“This medal means a lot, but also a demonstration – the fact of not giving up, to start a family, to become a mother and to come back to race,” she said.

EMOTIONAL LOLLOBRIGIDA CELEBRATES WITH SON

Drawn in the eighth pair alongside Maltais and starting in the outer lane, she went toe-to-toe with the Canadian before pulling decisively ahead.

Upon realizing her triumph, an emotional Lollobrigida wrapped herself in the Italian flag and sprinted to celebrate with her two-year-old son.

The Italian – great-niece of the late film icon Gina Lollobrigida and cousin of Italy’s Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida – soaked in the moment as the stadium erupted around her.

“Being in Italy, knowing my son, my husband, my mom, my dad, my sister, all my friends were here … I was really happy,” she said.

“I did it for myself, but also for all those who have always believed in me.”

The Italian’s victory ended a formidable Dutch legacy in the 3,000m. The Netherlands famously swept the podium at PyeongChang 2018, while Irene Schouten won gold at Beijing 2022 before retiring.

In Milan, Joy Beune and Marijke Groenewoud were again seen as leading Dutch contenders to extend that dominance, as was Wiklund, but Lollobrigida had other ideas.

Beune finished fourth and Groenewoud eighth, while Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann – a triple medalist in Beijing – was fifth.

Greta Myers was the only U.S. entrant, a late addition due to an injury withdrawal, and finished 20th.

The Netherlands remains the sport’s powerhouse, with a record 48 Olympic gold medals – well clear of the U.S. (30) and Norway (28). Lollobrigida’s victory was Italy’s third Olympic gold in speed skating.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media