The Cowboys have placed exclusive franchise tag on Dak Prescott, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). This move means that no other team will be allowed to negotiate with him, which has pros and cons for the QB.
Under the traditional non-exclusive tag, Prescott would have been able to talk with other clubs that would potentially be willing to cough up a pair of first-round picks for the right to sign him. On the flipside, the exclusive tag would pay Prescott at the average of the league’s top-five salaries for the 2020 season. With the non-exclusive tag, it would have been the top-five average of last year.
The non-exclusive tag would have come at $26.8MM. With the exclusive version, the number should be somewhere around $31.6MM.
The Cowboys’ long-term negotiations with Prescott have been going on for some time and there was talk just before the season that the two sides were nearing a deal. Since then, the Cowboys haven’t made much progress in bridging the gap, though Jerry Jones & Co. have said repeatedly that they would keep him, one way or another.
With Prescott cuffed for the 2020 season, the Cowboys will turn their attention to finalizing a long-term deal with star receiver Amari Cooper. A new deal for Cooper won’t come cheap, though the depth of this year’s WR class in the draft may work to the Cowboys’ favor. Teams, in theory, could keep a lid on their offers with an eye on finding cheaper and younger receiving talent in April. Cooper’s camp is acutely aware of this scenario – even if they won’t admit it publicly.
In 2019, Cooper registered 79 receptions for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 10 receiver in the NFL. Meanwhile, Prescott threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns and turned in an electric first half to the season.
Goodbye Cooper
He’s not going anywhere
good luck with that
Cooper is here to stay …
Makes sense. Jerry was never gonna pony up $40 mil/year but couldn’t afford to let Dak walk either
I think the key is it’s no longer Jerry’s team and if you are a cowboys fan that’s a good thing . Stephen kept him from picking Johnny manzeil and he stopped him from paying Dak 40 million a year . Let him walk draft another Dak there are 5-6 every year in draft
I still wonder why the players haven’t bargained out the franchise and transition tags. I’m sure some of these guys want to move on after playing out a contract and then are forced to stay.
WA$TE of $, should have slapped him with the non-exclusive tag. Nobody is going to pony up 2 firsts for a pretender like Duk and Dallas could have saved millions on the cap this year.
I cannot understand in any way shape or form why the Cowboys would waste the extra $4 million on an exclusive tag. To get two first round draft picks for Prescott would be windfall, a godsend. No GM would give the Cowboys two first round picks for Prescott in any case, particularly with a $35 million/year contract attached. Jones is only bidding against himself.
So predictable in a desperate move by Jones. I guess he was stressed that someone else would offer 40+. He’s so not worth it. Now they can move on and overpay for Cooper another desperate move.
Cooper is top 10 wr. If they don’t resign him have to draft wr with first pick . Will that pick become top ten wr?Who knows . With cooper know what you got
well there goes our chance at a championship. should have let him test the market with the lesser tag