Multiple months into the Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper negotiations, and two-plus weeks into Ezekiel Elliott‘s holdout, not much of note has transpired. Jerry Jones said these deals are unlikely to be completed until the team returns from their camp home (Oxnard, Calif.) to Dallas, and the owner offered another timetable Tuesday night.
Jones acknowledged neither the team nor its high-profile extension candidates have created a Week 1 deadline to cut off negotiations (Twitter link via ESPN’s Ed Werder). Jones added one of Dallas’ re-up prospects could sign before the big three. Byron Jones and La’el Collins join Prescott and Cooper as contract-year players, with Jaylon Smith set for 2020 restricted free agency.
Elliott and Jones have not spoken during this holdout, the owner acknowledged (via Werder, on Twitter), adding fuel to the fire of the two-time rushing champion missing regular-season games. A report indicated Elliot will not play into the regular season on his current contract, which runs through 2020.
“I’m not (concerned) in any way,” Jones said, via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). “But I certainly know that we’re in a situation where it could be Week 1, of course; it could be Week 2. It could go into the season; that’s the facts. If it doesn’t, it’s probably no harm.”
While executive VP Stephen Jones has mentioned Byron Jones, Collins and Smith, Jerry Jones acknowledged what appears to be a loosely defined hierarchy among the Cowboys’ priorities here. The owner cited DeMarcus Ware‘s 2014 release, which led to two more Pro Bowl seasons in Denver, as an example of previous cap mismanagement allowing a star to depart — one he does not want to repeat amid this contract conundrum.
“I’ve got to realize that I could let a DeMarcus Ware out of here because I don’t have enough money, because I paid it to too many others,” Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota (on Twitter). “That happened to me. I don’t want that to happen again. And we’ve got some top talent here.”
More variables exist in the Cowboys’ current negotiation matrix, but no resolutions are in sight for the defending NFC East champions.
Why is smith restricted?
Because he spent his first season on the Pup list and didn’t get enough gam s to qualify.
Why would there be….Dallas has offered more than fair deals to all 3. At this point it’s likely 1 of them will be tagged (dak).
It’s called greed & it’s called the most ridiculous CBA. Football is the most dangerous & the players can get cut at any time & for any reason. Players need to get guaranteed 4 year contracts on their first contract so they have some security for them & their family. Players only have a small amount of leverage & they better be healthy when they have it. Dak is not worth 40 million & 30 million is a clear overpay. His greed is ridiculous & if they pay him that money, you can kiss good bye 1 or 2 good players to pay for it.
Dak feels since he hasn’t Ben paid in his rookie deal he deserves to be paid like a superstar my opinion trade all 3 see how the season goes from there then start a new cowboy dynasty like the 90s.
That’s brilliant. The Cowboys have been starting a “new dynasty “ for TWENTY FIVE years. Yeah, let’s trade our elite RB, our elite WR, and our well above average QB and start over again. They’ll sign at least 2 of them, with Zeke possibly on the outside looking in.
Zeke is the best out of the 3. Cooper had a nice half season for the Cowboys, but needs to play like that for multiple years to be called elite. Last years QBR rankings would beg to differ with your assessment of Dak being well above average. More like high end 2nd tier QB.
snot — If elite is 1st tier, what is, as you assessed Prescott, “high end 2nd tier”? I would consider a high end 2nd tier QB to be well above average.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. ESPN’s Total QB Rating scores for 2018 tell you that he’s well above average, if not elite. Per their rating system: if you want to be a top QB in this league (and be paid like it), it’s not enough to have a bunch of 75+ QBR games that give your team a good chance to win. It’s at least equally important to minimize the number of bad games in which QBs actively lose games for their teams.
Over 47 games (with min 10 pass attempts), Prescott had 18 75+ QBR games. Only three of his peers have a better good-game percentage. And he’s had just seven sub-40 QBR games. Only four of his peers have a lower bad-game percentage.
That smells like a pretty big contract.
Zeke “may” be the best of the 3, but he’s also the most replaceable of the 3. How much did Pittsburgh miss LeVeon Bell last year? RB’s are much more replaceable than QB’s (or WR’s for that matter).
I’m hoping the owners take a stand on this QB market. It’s getting out of control. There are only 2-3 QB’s worth 30+Million IMO and everyone knows who they are.
The owners are raking in the cash, and you have a problem with the players making money? Is that you Daniel Snyder?
Only Cooper is in the last year of his contract, thus nothing needs to be rushed on the other two.