We’ve been hearing for months that if the Cowboys couldn’t agree to a long-term extension with Dak Prescott, then they’d slap the quarterback with the franchise tag. We now have more clarity on their plan, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports that the organization would opt for the exclusive franchise tag (via NFL.com’s Jeremy Bergman).
This path would provide benefits and negatives for Prescott. For negatives, the quarterback wouldn’t have the ability to negotiate with other teams (whereas under the traditional, non-exclusive tag, he could leave town if another team was willing to pony up a pair of first-rounders). The benefit? While the non-exclusive tag accounts for the top-five salaries at a respective position over the past five years, the exclusive tag accounts for the top-five salaries at a respective position for the upcoming season.
As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes, that current exclusive-tag quarterback value would be around $31.62MM. However, the number isn’t set in stone until the end of April, so it could easily fluctuate between now and then. For comparison’s sake, the non-exclusive quarterback tag is estimated to be around $27MM for the upcoming season.
This also provides some leverage in Prescott’s talks with the organization. The quarterback could sit on his ~$32MM salary for 2020, and then if he’s slapped with the tag again, he’d be in line to make close to $38MM in 2021.
We learned earlier this week that Cowboys officials met with Prescott’s agent, Todd France. It was the first time the two sides had met since the start of the 2019 season.
Cowboys need to slap the lesser tag. That way he and agent would find out nobody wants hiM for 2 first rounders , if they do great draft a qb in first or sign bridgewater. Sign Byron Jones and Cooper. If do the exclusive at end of year negotiate a trade or goodbye . No way I pay him 38 million in 2021. Maybe that’s why I’m not a gm 🙂
Ramsey and Tunsil commanded 2 first round picks each. Given the importance of the QB position and the strides Dak made this year, it would be a surprise if someone wouldn’t give up 2 firsts for him
Hou and LA gave up lower end 1st rounders for Ramsey/Tunsil. QB needy teams who are at the top of the draft seeming every year aren’t trading 2 first rounders that will be at the top of the draft for Duk. Grady is 100% correct. Not one person anywhere has even read a rumor about any interest in Prescott from any team outside organization. If Dallas was smart they’d slap him with the non-exclusive tag and humble him a bit. Nobody is going to give up 2 firsts, make this guy the highest paid, and hand him the keys to the franchise. He’s not a Mahomes or Wilson type that can elevate a team. He’s a bus driver, 8-8 last year with a good/great RB, O-line, and WR core….. “but Dak doesn’t play defense”, “it’s not his fault the defense was so terrible”, please. KC D was trash most of last season, GB was trash all year and look where they ended up. Duk is just good enough to keep Dallas 10-6/8-8 with an occasional playoff appearance for the next 5-10 seasons get ready Dallas this is our reality.
The best thing which could happen to Dallas would be to get two first round picks and take $35 million off of the salary cap. Go and get a quarterback in the first or second round who won’t need to be paid for five years. Bring in the rest of the missing pieces with the $35 million.
There’s a gamble if the new QB can do it, but it’s a good gamble. With Dak at $35 million plus, the Cowboys are going nowhere, not this season or any other.
As a long time Redskins supporter, I hope the Cowboys either exclusive franchise Dak or give him his $150 million guaranteed. One down, and two to go (divisional rivals).
lol!! I can’t wait to see what the Cowboys have to spend on Dak!! Whatever it is will most definitely be an overpay for average talent!! GOOOO COWBOYS!!
You might consider him average talent, but he passed for over 4900 yards last year….the dude can throw!
Also played in a terrible division and didn’t make the playoffs.
So last year is your only comparison? He is the winninvest QB from that touted draft class and has been one of the highest winning % QBs since entering the league. He isn’t the best passer, but he has the “it” factor which can’t be taught.
and Winston threw for more so he must be great too. yardage means squat.
Seriously would slap the non-exclusive tag on him. Save a few dollars and resign Jones or use that on Cooper.
They can only use one tag
Use the difference between the two tags to assist in a deal on Amari or Jones. Not use 1 tag on Dak and another on Amari or Jones.
So funny. People quick to off the wall comments about Dak. Great, let him go! The FA options are unlimited. TB is the goat, but might have one more solid year, then what? If not him, Bridgewater, Rivers, Dalton, etc., sounds like Zero options. It seems like Dak has leverage. I hope he gets every single dollar available. Get your money, young man.
A team destructive contract?? That’s great for the cowboys!! Come on cowboys, overpay like no other!! Love it!!
The list of overpaid QBs rises by the day. Goff, Wentz, Cousins, Jimmy G, soon the Dak. Few QBs are worth their salary these days. And those guys are closer to retirement. The only one still in his prime is Wilson. Great the players are getting larger salaries, but it’s only a handful on each team of 53. I would rather see an NBA structure that benefits the lower tier guys and caps the QBs DBs and WRs and DEs and LTs. Not specific to position but specific to the cap as a whole. The franchise tag is sort of like that but it’s just 1 year deals. If that were 2 or 3 year deals of guaranteed money more guys would be in favor of being tagged. Like if you had a 1 yr, 2 yr, and 3yr tag available and 1 nonexclusive tag that would be better than the current structure. And instead of what 25% increase if you tagged someone 2 years in a row like yr 2 is 8% increase and year 3 is another 8% increase.
Once Mahomes gets his next year he will be overpaid. His team will hurt overall because they won’t be able to pay everyone.
Wright0525. Any qb drafted in first rd can go 8-8. Cowboys get a first rd pick could package it with their 17th pick and move up. At worst get hurts at 17?
Let him walk for 2 firsts and trade up for a QB.
That would mean a team giving up 2 picks I just don’t see it unless the raiders would want him. I would try it see what would happen.
Just think if the Cowboys would’ve only lost that last game, instead of trying to win it to become eight andeight to see if Jason Garrett’s ego They would have a closer to a top 10 pick
Apparently Jerry Jones can only make decisions when he is in the bathroom now, so this posturing farce will go on for a while yet.