Latest On Cowboys, Dak Prescott
There Cowboys have not met or negotiated with Dak Prescott‘s agent since the start of the 2019 season, Cowboys VP Stephen Jones says (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of The Athletic). There could be some conversation with Prescott’s rep Todd France at the combine, but nothing has been scheduled just yet.
[RELATED: Jason Witten Committed To Playing In 2020]
When those talks were active, the Cowboys were reportedly willing to go to $33MM/year on a long-term deal. That was probably in the right ballpark, but Prescott’s camp aimed higher as he got off to a blazing start in 2019. The QB could have been targeting the $35MM average annual value of Russell Wilson‘s deal. Even though the Cowboys slumped in the second half, Prescott’s camp may still look to use that contract as a reference point.
Technically speaking, Prescott is scheduled to become a free agent in less than a month. Realistically, there’s no scenario in which the Cowboys will allow him to explore the open market. If a long-term deal doesn’t materialize, the Cowboys are expected to use the ~$27MM franchise tag to cuff him for the 2020 season. After that, the Cowboys can negotiate a long-term deal with Prescott up until the mid-summer deadline. And, if July comes and goes without a new agreement, the two sides can revisit talks after the 2020 campaign.
Jones pretty much confirmed that plan when he spoke with reporters on Monday.
“Absolutely not,” Jones said when asked if there’s any chance of parting ways with Prescott (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer). “I mean, Dak’s our quarterback. He’s our quarterback for the future and we have nothing but the greatest respect for him. He’s a competitor. He’s won a lot of football games for us. Obviously, he, like us, we all want to take that next step and get into a championship game and get to the big game and ultimately win a championship. So there’s no thoughts like that.”
Prescott, a two-time Pro Bowler, threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2019. For his career, he’s got 40-24 in 64 starts with a 65.8% completion rate and 97 TDs against 36 INTs.
Poll: Who Is The Best Unrestricted Free Agent QB This Offseason?
As teams gear up for an offseason of roster maneuvering, teams are beginning to the arduous process of lining up their salary caps to retain key players on expiring contracts, sign free agents, and their draft picks. Teams are forced to make especially difficult salary-cap decisions when they have a chance at an elite player through free agency.
While many of the top players currently set for free agency will surely sign an extension with their current team or receive either the franchise or transition tag, it is always a fun exercise to examine who is currently the best player set to be available through unrestricted free agency.
It’s no secret that this year’s offseason will be dominated by quarterback storylines. Philip Rivers, Jameis Winston, and Teddy Bridgewater are all set to be unrestricted free agents and had success as starters last season. Yet, none of them have the pedigree of future Hall of Famers Drew Brees and Tom Brady, the 
combination of youth and sustained success like Dak Prescott, or match the recent performance of Ryan Tannehill.
Brady has obviously asserted himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time over his Patriots career, but he will be 43 before the start of next season and looked abnormally average at the close of this season. New England finished the season with back-to-back losses to finish out the regular season (against the 5-11 Dolphins) and in the first round of the playoffs (at home against the Titans).
Brady played a role in both losses, completing just 36 of his 66 attempts (good for a 54.5% completion percentage) for 430 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. At the same time, Brady amassed over 4,000 passing yards for the third consecutive season and produced his best touchdown-to-interception ratio (24 to 8) since 2017.
Brees is in a similar boat. He’ll be 41 next season, but just led the league in completion percentage for the third consecutive season and posted the best touchdown-to-interception ratio of his career. With that said, the Saints did not look much different in the 5 games Brees missed early in the season with backup Teddy Bridgewater in his place.
Prescott has been surrounded by the hoopla of quarterbacking America’s Team, but the Cowboys signal-caller has taken consistent strides under the bright lights. At just 26 last season, Prescott fell just 98 yards shy of reaching the 5000-yard mark. He set a career-high with 30 touchdown throws and even while throwing a career-high 596 attempts, was sacked a career-low 23 times.
Of course, unlike Brees and Brady, Prescott has yet to reach the historic status they both already have. In fact, Prescott has yet to play in a conference championship game. Furthermore, his career year this season came while Dallas struggled to an 8-8 record in a wide-open NFC East. Does he deserve credit for performing despite a difficult surrounding, or was he responsible for the team’s struggles?
Finally, one of the most interesting stories of the season surrounded the quarterback position in Tennessee. Many around the league scoffed when the Titans benched Marcus Mariota for Ryan Tannehill. It seemed like they were just replacing one disappointing quarterback with another. However, the once highly regarded prospect led the Titans to a 7-3 surge to close the regular season, upset the Patriots in the first round of the playoffs, and almost upset the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Tannehill threw for 2742 yards in just 10 regular season starts, throwing 22 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. He led the league in yards per attempt (9.6) and quarterback rating (117.5) while helping young wideout A.J. Brown emerge as one of the best receivers in football. However, it’s fair to wonder how much of Tannehill’s success was a side-effect of a fantastic run game (led by Derrick Henry) and his receivers (like Brown). With the shortest resume of the group, Tannehill surely represents the largest risk but may have one of the highest rewards.
With all that said, what do you think? Who is the best unrestricted free agent quarterback this offseason? Submit your answer in the poll below and voice in your opinion in the comments.
Who is the best unrestricted free agent quarterback in this year's class?
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Drew Brees 39% (959)
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Dak Prescott 27% (662)
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Tom Brady 26% (649)
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Ryan Tannehill 6% (143)
Total votes: 2,466
Extra Points: Dak, Shurmur, Browns, 49ers
Dak Prescott‘s second contract has been a front-burner matter in NFL news cycles for nearly a year, but the Cowboys and their starting quarterback remain apart on terms. The four-year starter’s demands were north of $30MM AAV last year, and they were believed to be in the range of Russell Wilson‘s $35MM-per-year amount. While it’s uncertain if the Cowboys are comfortable getting to that figure, they will not have to go too much higher. Prescott is not asking to become the league’s first $40MM-per-year player, Jay Glazer of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Patrick Mahomes is the leading candidate to get there first, but while the Chiefs’ superstar passer is barely a month into his extension-eligible period, Prescott is 13-plus months into that window. After talks centering around a $33MM-per-year accord broke down during the season, the franchise tag now looks like a real possibility.
Here is the latest from around the league:
- After Joe Woods agreed to become the Browns‘ defensive coordinator, he has already secured one 49ers assistant to make the trip to Cleveland with him. Woods will bring in 49ers pass rush specialist Chris Kiffin to serve as Browns defensive line coach, Alex Marvez of Sirius XM Radio reports (on Twitter). The son of longtime NFL DC Monte Kiffin and younger brother of Lane Kiffin, Chris spent the past two seasons with the 49ers. Previously Lane’s DC at Florida Atlantic, Chris has spent most of his career at the college level.
- The 49ers appear to have a replacement lined up. Aaron Whitecotton will join San Francisco’s defensive staff, per Marvez. A Bills assistant for three seasons, Whitecotton worked with 49ers DC Robert Saleh for four seasons in Jacksonville prior to relocating to Buffalo.
- Despite indicating his coordinators would return for the 2020 season, Broncos HC Vic Fangio‘s change of heart led for a Rich Scangarello-to-Pat Shurmur transition. Fangio decided a few days after making that proclamation he would fire Scangarello, and Shurmur will become the Broncos’ fifth offensive coordinator since 2016. The ex-Giants and Browns HC’s experience pushed Fangio to hire him. “The experience was an extra crumb that Pat has,” Fangio said, via The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala (subscription required). “I think Pat’s in his early 50s (54) and has coached 20 years, but if he was in his early 40s and coached 10 years, he still would have been the right guy for the job. … Once I decided to make the move, he was the first guy I called.” Fangio and Shurmur coached against each other in the NFC North for two seasons from 2016-17, when Shurmur was Minnesota’s OC.
Latest On Dak Prescott, Cowboys FAs
We heard earlier this week that negotiations between the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott could ultimately lead to a franchise tag. However, Stephen Jones clarified that the organization is still focused on completing a long-term deal before Prescott hits unrestricted free agency in March.
“We want to get this done,” Jones told Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram. “Things are fixing to heat up. We want to put every foot forward and try to grind this out and get a deal done.
“I know he wants to get his contract in the rear view mirror and we want it too. We want him to be treated well, financially and respectfully. We are going to have a real urgency to get this done.”
There’s been optimism surrounding an extension for months, but the report from earlier this week cautioned that a deal wasn’t imminent. We heard back in January that the two sides were close to an agreement, with the Cowboys reportedly willing to give Prescott a contract worth $33MM per season. Hill Jr. notes that the quarterback is seeking a deal that would jump Russell Wilson‘s league-leading $35MM AAV.
“I don’t want to get into the details, but we have offered him significant money,” Jones said. “The money we have offered Dak no matter how you look at it would put him as a top five quarterback in the NFL. That is the way we feel about him. He is one of the best.”
Dak Prescott Likely To Be Franchise Tagged
The Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott could be on course for the franchise tag, ESPN’s Adam Schefter hears. The two sides have been discussing a long-term deal, but, at this time, it doesn’t sound like they’ll be able to hammer out a new deal between now and March.
Publicly, both sides have expressed optimism about reaching agreement on a contract that would keep Prescott in Dallas for years to come. However, there’s a major gap to be bridged – Prescott, reportedly, was looking to beat Russell Wilson‘s league-leading $35MM/year average during his phenomenal first half to the 2019 season. Even though things fell apart down the stretch, Prescott is still looking for a contract that will position him as one of the highest-paid QBs in the game.
Prescott, a two-time Pro Bowler, threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns, setting new career watermarks in each category. Realistically, there’s no scenario in which the Cowboys would allow him to reach unfettered free agency. If they can’t lock him down, the Cowboys will cuff him for roughly $27MM in 2020.
If tagged, Prescott could theoretically stay away from the team’s offseason program until he puts pen to paper. It’s hard to envision a Melvin Gordon-type scenario where Prescott misses regular season games, however, so that threat probably won’t move the needle for Jerry Jones & Co.
Prescott probably won’t be a free agent this offseason, but there are plenty of other intriguing QBs on course for open waters, including Tom Brady, Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, Philip Rivers, Marcus Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater, and Case Keenum.
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott “Confident” In Talks
Will all the posturing between the Cowboys and Dak Prescott result in a long-term deal before the start of free agency? Dallas’ star quarterback seems to think so. 
[RELATED: Free Agent Stock Watch: Dak Prescott]
“I’ve got confidence something will get done,” Prescott told NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. “We’ll just leave it there. Obviously being the Cowboys quarterback is second to none. There are very few positions in all of sports that are comparable to it. So when you put that in perspective, my mindset is to be in Dallas. And I’ve got the confidence in my team to get something done and the confidence in the Cowboys that we’ll be able to.”
The Cowboys are equally eager to iron out a deal. Publicly, Stephen Jones has acknowledged that a new deal for Prescott is his top priority this season, followed closely by hashing out a new deal with Amari Cooper.
The Cowboys have the franchise tag as a failsafe, so it’s hard to see Prescott reaching the open market this year under any circumstance. If, somehow, he does get to test the open waters, he could be joined by QBs Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Ryan Tannehill, and Jameis Winston.
Prescott went on to say that he’s “excited” to play under new head coach Mike McCarthy and made note of his Super Bowl pedigree. In four years as the Cowboys QB, Prescott has made just two playoff appearances and has only one postseason W.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Dak Prescott
With all the talk surrounding Tom Brady‘s impending free agency, it’s almost like you could forget about Dak Prescott‘s scheduled trip to the open market. Almost. 
At the start of the season, it seemed like Prescott was right on the cusp of a brand new multi-year deal with the Cowboys. Back in September, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said a new deal was “imminent.” Then, Jones & Co. spent the rest of the year deflecting questions about a potential extension. Now, the pressure is on for the Cowboys to hammer out a mega-deal that will keep Prescott under center for the foreseeable future.
Both sides have ample reason to get something done, but the Cowboys, understandably, have reservations about tying up a ludicrously high percentage of their available dollars in a handful of players. Back in September, the Cowboys offered up a contract that would have paid Prescott an average of $33MM/year. However, Prescott held off during his insanely hot start, and he was probably eyeing Russell Wilson‘s league-leading $35MM/year average.
The Cowboys’ second-half dip cost them a playoff berth and hurt Prescott’s leverage. Through the first seven games of the year, Prescott completed more than 70% of his passes with 12 TDs and seven INTs. On the back nine, Prescott completed just 61.5% of his throws with 18 touchdowns against four interceptions.
Still, there was plenty of blame to go around for the Cowboys’ drop, and much of it fell on Jason Garrett. Prescott, who won’t turn 27 until July, figures to cash in, one way or another. If the Cowboys can’t come to an agreement with Prescott on a long-term deal, they can keep him from free agency via the franchise tag, which is projected to come in at roughly $26.9MM for quarterbacks. The former fourth-round pick would surely prefer the security of a four-year contract, but that’s still a substantial pay bump from the $2.025MM base salary he earned in the final year of his rookie deal.
What will it take for the Cowboys to get a deal done with Prescott? After he finished second in passing yards (4,902) and fourth in passing touchdowns (30, a new career-high), it won’t be cheap. By betting on himself, Prescott has all but assured that he can top Jared Goff‘s four-year, $134MM deal, which averages out to $33.5MM/year. Meanwhile, his camp surely has Goff’s $110MM in guarantees – an NFL record – in the crosshairs.
The stats and comps are only part of the equation as the prospect of multiple franchise tags looms large. Sure, the Cowboys can cuff Prescott for 2020 at ~$27MM, but what about 2021, when the cost would rise another 20% to more than $39MM? (Assuming the franchise tag rules remain in tact after the new CBA.) After that, a third tag would be downright absurd – a 44% jump would cost upwards of $55MM for the 2022 season.
We’ve been fooled before, but all signs still point to a long-term accord between the QB and JJ. If the Cowboys are unwilling to top Wilson’s AAV, it’s possible that the two sides can meet in the middle on a three-year deal, which would allow Prescott to cash in at untold levels when he’s 30 years of age and the league’s revenue climbs even higher. Or, maybe they’ll cave and give Prescott just enough to edge Wilson on a four-year deal and claim victory. In any case, the Cowboys do not want to wait for Patrick Mahomes to land his next deal, which could top $40MM per annum. And, failing all of that, a tag is surely coming.
Prescott, technically speaking, is due for free agency in March, but we’d be shocked if he gets there.
Cowboys Were Close To Extension With Dak Prescott
Back in September, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called an extension with quarterback Dak Prescott “imminent.” Months later, Prescott and the Cowboys still do not have a new contract in place, which means that the club may have to put the franchise tag on their signal-caller, who is eligible for unrestricted free agency in March.
However, Jones wasn’t being hyperbolic in his September comments regarding a new deal. Sources tell Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the two sides were indeed close to an agreement that would have paid Prescott $33MM per year, but those talks broke down when Prescott got off to a hot start.
Prescott may have been eyeing Russell Wilson‘s $35MM AAV after his great start to the 2019 campaign, but after a less impressive second half of the season, his value may have returned to that $33MM/year range. Of course, the real question will be what type of guaranteed money the Cowboys will be required to pony up, and it seems unlikely they will be able to avoid giving Prescott at least $100MM in full guarantees.
Hill says the Cowboys’ biggest focus is getting a deal with Prescott done, which is especially important given that new head coach Mike McCarthy will be installing a new offense. McCarthy believes Prescott is an elite QB, and the team wants to keep him around for the long haul.
“We’ve got to land the plane and get his deal done,” vice president Stephen Jones recently said. “We got real, real, real close there to start the season and just didn’t get it finished up. He’s so laser-focused on wanting to win football games and compete that he really didn’t want the distraction once we didn’t get it done in that first week of going back and forth with the contract. We just got to move forward. He’s our quarterback of the future. I’ll take him any time when you go to war against these guys. We’re fortunate to have him.”
NFC East Notes: Dak, Howard, Giants
Dak Prescott bet on himself and will finish with statistical benchmarks in several categories this season — including touchdown passes (26) and passing yards (4,599). The fourth-year Cowboys quarterback has a good chance of eclipsing his previous single-season passing high by over 1,000 yards. Despite Dallas’ disappointing season, team brass remain bullish on a long-term Dak re-up. Prescott and the Cowboys have been negotiating for months.
“I’m just not surprised,” Prescott said, via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams, of the lack of a new contract. “… It’s the business. It’s my first time going through it. Not surprised by anything that comes from it — from the league, from the team, from whatever. Learning as I go.”
With March 10 being the deadline for franchise tenders to be applied, the Cowboys not reaching an extension with their quarterback opens the door to the prospect of tagging Prescott and letting Amari Cooper hit free agency. As of now, with no CBA in place, teams would be permitted to use both their franchise and transition tags come March. Just as they were throughout this past summer, the Cowboys’ negotiations will be a key component of the upcoming offseason.
One of two divisions still up for grabs, the NFC East features the Eagles and Cowboys vying for the division’s 50th championship. Here is the latest from the two contending teams, along with the Giants and Redskins.
- With the Eagles cutting Jay Ajayi, the expectation was they’d have Jordan Howard back in the fold for Week 17. But that’s not necessarily the case. The fourth-year back met with doctors on Thursday, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, who adds Howard has not yet been cleared for contact (Twitter link). Howard has not played since Week 9 due to a shoulder injury. The Eagles are using Miles Sanders and Boston Scott as their primary backs, but Howard was the team’s rushing leader before going down.
- The Redskins have already seen several starters’ seasons end early; they may see their breakout wide receiver miss the season finale as well. Terry McLaurin is in Washington’s concussion protocol, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. McLaurin (919 receiving yards) is just seven yards away from Gary Clark‘s 34-year-old franchise record for most by a rookie. A loss to Dallas would lock Washington in the No. 2 draft slot, which could well be Ohio State edge-rushing dynamo Chase Young.
- Markus Golden‘s value-reestablishing Giants season included another positive development for the contract-year pass rusher. A stat correction turned a Golden half-sack into a full sack, giving him 10 for the season and a $1MM incentive bonus, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. The Giants gave Golden a one-year, $3.75MM deal this offseason. After two lost seasons, due largely to a 2017 ACL tear, Golden has his second 10-plus-sack campaign. He profiles as a Giants extension candidate and an intriguing UFA pass rusher, should he hit the market.
Cowboys Still “Bullish” On Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott hasn’t had a great second half to the season, but Cowboys VP Stephen Jones says he’s as confident as ever in the quarterback. In an interview on 105.3 The Fan, Jones stood behind the Cowboys signal caller.
“We’ve never blinked on (paying Dak Prescott). We’ve had a very aggressive offer out there every step of the way…I think Dak has given us every opportunity to have success this year. I’m as bullish about Dak as I’ve ever been,” Jones said.
Prescott, 26, has completed 64.8% of his passes this year with 26 touchdowns against eleven interceptions. Those numbers are weighed down by a flat second half. Through the first seven games of the year, Prescott completed more than 70% of his passes with 12 TDs and seven INTs.
In the offseason, you can expect the Cowboys to aggressively pursue a long-term deal with Prescott, though they’ll have to leave enough breathing room for the rest of the gang. That includes wide receiver Amari Cooper, who is hoping to stay in Dallas with a top-of-the-market deal.
In the near term, the Cowboys are hoping that Prescott’s ailing shoulder will be good to go for their regular season finale against the Redskins. Prescott was not on the field for the team’s Christmas Day practice, but he managed to play on Sunday against the Eagles despite being limited throughout the week.