The Dallas Cowboys have placed the exclusive franchise tag on Dak Prescott, meaning this negotiation is far from over
Welp, we got half of an answer in the whole Dak Prescott–Dallas Cowboys saga.
Cowboys placed exclusive franchise tag on QB Dak Prescott, per source. No other team allowed to sign him.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
Dak Prescott – the Cowboys’ franchise QB – will at least play the 2020-21 NFL season in Dallas, after Dallas placed the exclusive franchise tag their man-behind-center.
.@Dak Prescott: Franchise QB.
His 10 BEST PLAYS from a career year in Dallas! pic.twitter.com/bw6PJZFeNO
— NFL (@NFL) March 16, 2020
Dallas now has until July 15 to sign Prescott to a long-term deal. If he is not signed by July 15, Prescott will play the next NFL season under the franchise tag, assuming he doesn’t hold out.
It is now official Dak Prescott remains with the #Cowboys, albeit through an exclusive franchise tag, with the goal of still trying to get a long term deal. Currently that tag price tag means he will make 33M next season.
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 16, 2020
The exclusive franchise tag is somewhat of a win for both sides…right?
Prescott – who was paid a little over $2 million last year, the final year of his rookie contract – gets a huge salary bump.
If Dak Prescott plays on the tag, he’ll make more than six times as much in 2020 than he’s made in his entire career.
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 16, 2020
Dak Prescott is one of five quarterbacks with 35 wins since 2016. The other four quarterbacks have all earned more than $67M over the last four seasons. As a fourth-round draft pick, Prescott has made just more than $4 million in career earnings.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) March 16, 2020
For Dallas, the organization earns itself a little more time to work out a deal with Dak, either before July 15 or this time next season.
The Cowboys can also turn their focus to other big name free agents, specifically wide receiver Amari Cooper.
With the exclusive franchise tag now placed on Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper has the ability to test the free-agent market, though Dallas will be aggressive in trying to re-sign him. https://t.co/G6dz4r2V5K
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
To be clear, that’s looking at this whole ordeal as glass half full – but is it really glass half empty?
And now we wait on Amari Cooper…and whether Dak Prescott decides to sign that tag by July 15/two sides manage to hammer something out before then pic.twitter.com/Q5F0OEokMC
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 16, 2020
The Cowboys have spent ample time trying to sign Dak long-term, and the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement.
And now, Cooper is a free agent, and Dak still has the option of holding out until he gets the deal he desires.
The Cowboys franchised Dak Prescott meaning Amari Cooper is now an unrestricted free agent. Will Dak show up for work or will he take the Zeke route and hold out until he gets paid? Big story here.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 16, 2020
Prescott is only the sixth quarterback in NFL history to be hit with the exclusive tag, and the first quarterback in Cowboys history to receive the tag.
Clearly, the gap between what the Cowboys want to pay and what Dak wants to earn is still relatively wide.
Tag deadline for Dak Prescott is today at 10:59am CT. I’m told that while the #Cowboys felt good about their latest offer last week which was described to me as “above the Goff deal” His agent, Todd France sent back another proposal and as of late last night “all was quiet”.
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 16, 2020
Wait. Last September, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff signed a 4-year, $134 million contract, with $110 million in guaranteed money.
And the Cowboys’ latest offer was above that? And Dak still turned it down?
.@RealSkipBayless reacts to the news that the Cowboys placed exclusive franchise tag on Dak Prescott…
“I do not like franchise tags — never have, never will.” pic.twitter.com/lk2jspndz0
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 16, 2020
Jerry has indeed been known to pay up. And Prescott, for the most part, has delivered for the Cowboys over the last four seasons.
Jerry&Stephen Jones can try to paint Dak as selfish, greedy or not a tm guy all they like. But the price for a starting(franchise) qb is continuously going up and Dak would be foolish to give Cowboys a discount, considering what Tannehill got. New CBA, money is there
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) March 15, 2020
We don’t know what the future holds for Dak and Dallas.
But what we are sure of is that this saga is far from over.
