Dak Prescott

Elliott Extension Now Cowboys’ Top Priority

August 25th, 2019 at 2:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering the offseason with several high-profile players eligible for extensions, the Cowboys still have their big three on offense attached to rookie deals. But Amari Cooper has voiced no issue with playing into a contract year, and Jerry Jones said he has no concern about Dak Prescott doing the same.

Jones said the Cowboys only have to have Ezekiel Elliott signed before Week 1, per Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Elliott has been a holdout since the Cowboys began training camp.

While Cooper has a guaranteed fifth-year option of $13.9MM, Prescott is only set to make $2MM this season. The fourth-year quarterback obviously stands to earn a lucrative contract at some point in the near future, but signing before the season would give him a chance to avoid having to play a fourth season on a Round 4 contract. Prescott, though, has been resolute during this lengthy negotiation. He voiced opposition to a potential team-friendly deal and is believed to have declined a $30MM-AAV proposal.

Elliott has two seasons left on his deal, but the high-volume back (NFL-most 1,003 touches since 2016, getting there in just 40 games) has prioritized an extension before an age-24 season that will also stand to feature an extensive workload. There has not been any recent movement between the Cowboys and the two-time rushing champion. Two weeks before Dallas’ opener, Elliott remains in Mexico training away from the team.

Poll: Cowboys’ Contract Situation

August 22nd, 2019 at 8:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

We’ve nearly reached the daily-update stage of the Cowboys’ contract matrix. Even after the team extended Jaylon Smith, who would have been a 2020 RFA, its three stars remain on rookie contracts. With no news of Amari Cooper progress coming, and the fifth-year wide receiver indicating comfort in playing out a contract year, we will limit this to Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott hypotheses.

Both marquee Cowboys have been in the news constantly this month. Multiple reports pegged Prescott as turning down a $30MM-per-year deal, with another indicating he wants to surpass Russell Wilson‘s $35MM-AAV mark to become the NFL’s highest-paid player. Elliott, meanwhile, returned to Mexico after a Jerry Jones joke that did not go over well. Elliott’s holdout is nearing a month. Will the Cowboys resolve these situations by Week 1?

Dallas has done well to take care of its homegrown players in recent years. Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin are all on long-term contracts. The Cowboys extended DeMarcus Lawrence and Dez Bryant as well and just gave Smith $19MM fully guaranteed. But the team has angled for its current batch of standouts to take less for the greater good. Judging by Prescott’s comments on that subject this summer, and Elliott remaining in Mexico despite receiving an offer reportedly north of the Le’Veon Bell–David Johnson tier, the players do not look to have this strategy in mind.

Prescott is entering his contract year, doing so in the same type of situation Wilson did four years ago. After he drove a hard bargain all summer, the Seahawks quarterback signed an August extension rather than play on a third-round salary for a fourth season. A 2016 fourth-round pick, Prescott faces the prospect of a $2MM 2019 salary.

Elliott is under contract for two more seasons, thanks to the fifth-year option, but he’s accumulated a historic workload and may not be in as strong of a negotiating position next year were he to go through 2019 on a similar pace. Elliott’s holdout makes sense from that perspective, and he does not intend to play another down on his rookie contract. Despite Jones talking up rookie Tony Pollard, Elliott is a two-time rushing champion and has been essential in the Cowboys’ recent success.

The Cowboys also have Byron Jones and La’el Collins entering contract years, though the team having drafted Connor Williams and Connor McGovern may be a sign Collins will be allowed to test free agency. The defending NFC East champions have amassed perhaps their best talent core since their 1990s group, but the steps toward retaining it long-term have been elusive (and frustrating?) for the franchise. Although Jones remains confident in deals being finalized, we are now within two weeks of opening night.

How will the Cowboys proceed with Elliott and Prescott? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Compton, Fales

August 20th, 2019 at 9:45pm CST by Rory Parks

When announcing the new extension for linebacker Jaylon Smith at a press conference today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sent a clear message to a few other high-profile players who are eligible for extensions. Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic, “[t]he team takes precedent at a point over the opinion or the demand of the individual. The team takes precedent. This was a team move we are talking about today. The team takes precedent. And I’ve got the backbone to keep it that way” (Twitter link).

Obviously, that statement suggests that Jones is going to hold firm on the offers that have been extended to Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott, and Amari Cooper, and as we detailed earlier today, Smith’s extension looks relatively team-friendly. Jones did say that there is “enough pie left” to get deals done with all of them, though he did not have an update on negotiations with the trio.

Let’s check out more from the NFC:

Free agent linebacker Will Compton will work out for the Saints, as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Compton, who played for the Redskins from 2013-17, was a full-time starter as recently as 2016. However, his 2017 campaign was marred by injury, and he played only 79 defensive snaps for the Titans last year in his first and only season in Tennessee. He would provide experienced LB depth in New Orleans, and he could also contribute on special teams.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press examines the Lions‘ backup QB situation, noting that presumptive QB2 Tom Savage missed his seventh straight practice on Tuesday (Savage is in the concussion protocol). That has meant more reps for David Fales and Josh Johnson, but Birkett says the Lions are unlikely to carry three QBs. So if Savage cannot be medically cleared by next Saturday, he could be cut. Fales looked sharp in the team’s last preseason game while Johnson struggled, so Fales may have a leg up if Savage can’t get healthy.
The 49ers fear that rookie wide receiver Shawn Poindexter suffered a torn ACL in Monday’s preseason win, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Poindexter, a UDFA from Arizona, appeared to be a prime practice squad candidate, and the club has already signed WR/KR Chris Thompson to take Poindexter’s place on the 90-man roster.

NFC East Notes: McCown, Treadwell, Cowboys

August 18th, 2019 at 11:23am CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles made a surprising decision to sign Josh McCown out of retirement on Saturday, and the fact that they gave McCown a $2MM guarantee suggests that he is a lock to make the roster. Indeed, Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP reports that Philadelphia was trying to sign McCown even before presumptive QB2 Nate Sudfeld was sidelined with a wrist injury (Twitter link). Shorr-Parks notes in a separate tweet that HC Doug Pederson declined to say whether Sudfeld will remain the primary backup. Pederson said he will figure that out when Sudfeld heals.

Let’s round up a few more NFC East items:

Former first-round pick Laquon Treadwell is on the trade block, and Matt Lombardo of NJ.com believes the Giants could make a play for him. Treadwell played under New York head coach Pat Shurmur when the latter served as the Vikings’ offensive coordinator, and Shurmur held the Ole Miss product in high regard not that long ago. Given the current state of the Giants’ WR depth chart, Lombardo suggests it would be reasonable for Big Blue to send a sixth- or seventh-round pick to Minnesota to see if a change of scenery can unlock some of Treadwell’s potential.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may not want to meet QB Dak Prescott‘s asking price — said to be at least $35MM per year — but he confirmed that Prescott’s eventual contract will put him in the top tier of quarterbacks. Jones said, “[a] lot of people question whether Dak is one of those guys that need to be in the top tier. I’ve never questioned that. I don’t think there’s any doubt that he’s in the top level of paid quarterbacks…Now, how do we make this all fit and what can we do to have the best team around him? That’s what we’re trying to work on” (Twitter link via Jon Machota of The Athletic).
Tony Pollard‘s performance in training camp and the preseason may be giving the Cowboys a little leverage in their contract talks with Ezekiel Elliott, and Jones said “Zeke who?” when asked if Pollard is becoming the team’s best negotiator with Elliott (Twitter link via Machota). Jones made it clear he was joking and said he believes Pollard will be an excellent complement to, and not a replacement for, Elliott (in case you missed it, we heard this morning that Elliott will not face criminal charges for the altercation between him and a security guard in May).
Despite spending the entire 2018 season out of football, Cowboys WR Devin Smith has a legitimate chance of cracking the team’s roster, as Machota tweets. Smith caught a TD pass in Dallas’ preseason contest on Saturday, and his play has been very strong over the past week. The former Jets second-rounder signed a reserve/futures deal with the Cowboys in January.

No Deadline For Cowboys Extension Targets

August 13th, 2019 at 8:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Dak Targeting Russell Wilson’s AAV Mark

August 13th, 2019 at 5:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dak Prescott has threatened Antonio Brown‘s grip on NFL news cycles over the past few days, and now that the Raiders receiver’s helmet mania is winding down, the Cowboys quarterback’s contract negotiations may be the NFL’s top mid-August talking point.

Momentum does not appear to be building toward a Prescott extension, and the Monday report of a $40MM-AAV goal may not be too far off. Prescott is targeting Russell Wilson‘s $35MM-per-year deal, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com tweets. While another Monday report indicated Prescott absolutely is not eyeing a market-altering, $40MM-AAV accord, Robinson adds that other teams have heard the $40MM target rumor during this process as well.

While Prescott is aiming higher than 2016 draft classmate Carson Wentz, likely because of the $32MM/year deal Wentz signed, the Cowboys’ negotiations also played into the Eagles’ negotiations. Leery of a monster Prescott deal forcing them to up their Wentz price, the Eagles moved quickly to get their quarterback signed earlier this summer, Robinson reports.

“That played a part in getting Carson’s deal done early,” a source told Robinson. “It was a priority [for the Eagles] anyway, but not knowing if Dallas would just completely cave in with Dak and do something stupid definitely entered into the conversation.”

Dallas has not yet caved to Prescott, who is reported to have turned down a $30MM-per-year offer. But talks with Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have not progressed to the point either extension feels imminent. The Eagles acted despite Wentz having two years left on his rookie deal. Landing Prescott in Round 4, the Cowboys do not have that luxury.

The franchise tag may enter the equation, of course, with Amari Cooper, Byron Jones and La’el Collins also in contract years. That would also be a bold choice from Prescott, who will earn barely $2MM this season. But it is fairly clear he does not have a team-friendly deal on his itinerary.

As a former third-round pick, Wilson was in this situation four years ago. The Seahawks quarterback signed what was then the No. 2 quarterback contract ($21.9MM per year). The cap has gone up by more than $30MM since, and the quarterback market has changed dramatically over the past year and change. That’s helped lead to this Prescott-Cowboys standoff, one of the more interesting negotiations in recent memory.

NFC East Notes: Williams, Cowboys, Giants

August 12th, 2019 at 9:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trent Williams continues to hold out from Redskins camp, but the team is standing firm on the trade front. Despite acquiring Donald Penn, the Redskins have told teams they have no plans to trade Williams, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Teams continue to inquire about the 10th-year left tackle’s availability, but thus far, Washington has resisted. Williams, 31, is upset with the organization because of his contract and its handling of a health scare of his. Some around the league believe the Patriots will make a play for the seven-time Pro Bowler, but nothing is moving on this front yet. This may be an attempt for Washington to drive up the price, but for now, Williams remains a Redskins employee.

As for Washington’s left tackle situation, Penn and 2018 third-rounder Geron Christian are battling for the spot, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Ereck Flowers is back at guard but may be behind fourth-round rookie Wes Martin.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

Deandre Baker will miss time for the Giants because of a knee sprain, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (video link). However, the first-round pick’s ACL did not sustain damage, and the Giants appear to expect him back soon. Baker will likely be asked to start in his first season, with Big Blue’s cornerback corps rather thin.
The Cowboys gave fourth-round pick Tony Pollard just four carries in their preseason opener, but Jerry Jones may be using that to send a message to holdout Ezekiel Elliott. “He looks confident out there. We know he’s inordinately understanding what it is he does and what he can do,” Jones said, via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. “We’ve seen him do it. We know he’s capable, if he really needs to, carry the whole load.” Pollard gained 16 yards against the 49ers. While Dak Prescott‘s negotiations have been talking points in the past two days, not much has emerged on the Elliott front. Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic, on Twitter) nothing has changed regarding Dallas’ extension candidates.
Third-year Cowboys defensive end Taco Charlton addressed his current situation, which may not involve a full-time starting role. The 2017 first-round pick has just four career sacks and said he was not asked to rush quarterbacks as much as he did as a rookie. He mentioned discussing his NFL future with his agent recently (via Machota, subscription required). “We know my value and everything like that, so everything is good,” Charlton said. “I’m here right now working hard with this team. I will show up every day to work hard, healthy, hurt, whatever may be. Shoulder hurt, I still show up every day to work hard.” The Cowboys have DeMarcus Lawrence recovering from surgery, Robert Quinn out two games with a suspension and Randy Gregory once again banned. The defending NFC East champs will need Charlton, especially early.
On another NFC East defensive line, the Eagles saw their 2017 first-round pick return to 11-on-11 drills. Derek Barnett participated in team work for the first time in camp, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia notes. Barnett spent the offseason recovering from a shoulder injury that sent him to IR in October. The Eagles traded Michael Bennett and lost Chris Long to retirement, pointing to a big role for Barnett.
The Giants lost another wide receiver for the season. Recent addition Amba Etta-Tawo tore one of his Achilles’ tendons, per NJ.com’s Matt Lombardo. In his second camp with the Giants, the Syracuse alum has yet to play in a regular-season game. Big Blue is down Sterling Shepard and Corey Coleman and will be without Golden Tate for the season’s first four games.

Latest On Cowboys, Dak Prescott

August 12th, 2019 at 4:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Numbers have emerged in the Dak Prescott negotiations, and we now have conflicting reports about the Cowboys quarterback’s demands.

On Sunday, a report surfaced indicating the fourth-year passer turned down a Cowboys proposal of $30MM annually. A day later, NFL.com’s Jane Slater reports the same (Twitter link). Where it becomes more interesting: Slater adds Prescott is pushing for $40MM annually.

While no quarterback comes especially close to that benchmark, Prescott would be an interesting candidate to be the league’s first $40MM-AAV player. The 2016 offensive rookie of the year, however, has not requested such a contract, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Whether the parameters include total value or new money, Florio categorized the report of this demand as “all-caps false.”

Prescott recently did not sound receptive to the kind of Cowboys-friendly deal that Jerry and Stephen Jones have posited, citing the new CBA potentially bringing gambling-generated money into the equation. But he may not be seeking landscape-altering cash. It’s expected he will become the highest-paid player in Cowboys history, but PFT’s Charean Williams notes the Cowboys are not expected to make him the NFL’s salary kingpin.

Not all $30MM-AAV deals are created equal, obviously, so it is premature to judge Prescott for potentially turning down such an offer. But these talks, and Ezekiel Elliott‘s, have reportedly frustrated the Cowboys. The team has made it known it does not wish to set any positional markets, which seems like it will be a bigger issue on the Elliott front. But with numbers now being thrown around, this process appears to be accelerating.

Dak Prescott Turns Down $30MM/Year Offer?

August 11th, 2019 at 10:11am CST by Rory Parks

Throughout much of the summer, we have heard that the Cowboys have not made much progress in contract talks with their top extension-eligible players. However, a report from earlier this week suggested that Dallas had a decent shot at reaching long-term pacts with wide receiver Amari Cooper and quarterback Dak Prescott before Week 1.

But if what Michael Lombardi of The Athletic hears is accurate, the optimism surrounding the Prescott negotiations may not be entirely well-founded. Per Lombardi’s sources, Prescott has turned down an offer that features an average annual value of $30MM (Twitter link). Recent reports have suggested that the Cowboys’ offer to Prescott would pay him like a top-5 QB, and Matt Ryan‘s AAV of $30MM is currently the fifth-highest in the league.

Of course, the real issue is how much guaranteed money the Cowboys are offering Prescott, and it seems unlikely that the team is anywhere close to the $94.5MM in full guarantees that the Falcons gave Ryan. So while Lombardi may be right to call Prescott “nuts” for turning down a $30MM/year proposal, we would need more details before assessing his decision one way or another.

We explored Prescott’s case for a new deal back in June. The two-time Pro Bowler is far from a perfect passer, but he has piloted his team to two playoff berths in his first three seasons in the league, and given the current climate, $30MM/year is right around his fair market value.

NFC Rumors: Cowboys, Thomas, Vikes, Rams

August 6th, 2019 at 9:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Robert Quinn‘s initial Cowboys preseason slate will be nullified because of an injury he suffered at practice Tuesday. The trade acquisition will undergo surgery in Dallas after breaking his left hand, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter). Quinn’s fracture, however, may not shelve him for any regular-season time. Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones expects the ninth-year defensive end to be ready by the time the Cowboys face the Giants in Week 1. So, the Cowboys’ August lineup graphics will not feature either of the team’s projected D-end starters, with DeMarcus Lawrence also out for the preseason slate.

Moving first (perhaps predictably) to the Cowboys’ glut of extension candidates, here is the latest from around the NFC:

Jones said earlier today the Cowboys are offering deals that would, at the moment, make Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper among the five highest-paid players at their respective positions. That represents a low bar for Elliott, but Jones revealed one Cowboys stance: that Le’Veon Bell‘s Jets deal slightly lowered the running back market compared to where it was when Todd Gurley signed his lucrative pact. As for the status of Dallas’ deals, Jones does not expect them to be done during the team’s training camp stay in Oxnard, Calif. “To set all expectations, I’d be floored if anything got done before we got (back) to Dallas, with any of the three,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic (on Twitter). “I’m not concerned. I don’t feel any momentum. I don’t see anything happening.” The Cowboys will be in Oxnard until August 15.
Solomon Thomas has not lived up to his lofty draft status thus far, but the 49ers will try and capitalize on the former No. 2 overall pick’s interior-rushing talent. With Dee Ford and Nick Bosa now on the edge, Thomas has been rotating with defensive tackles DeForest Buckner at Arik Armstead, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. Thomas saw the majority of his 644 49ers snaps last season on the edge. The Stanford product has just four sacks in two seasons.
Going into their preseason slate, the Vikings have leaned toward Sean Mannion being Kirk Cousins‘ primary backup. That is not surprising, given Mannion’s status as the Rams’ QB2 recently. Mannion and 2017 UDFA Kyle Sloter were rotating No. 2 reps recently, but Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press points out Sloter is now rotating with rookie UDFA Jake Browning with Minnesota’s third-team offense. Both backups are playing for league-minimum money.
Rams rookie linebacker Justin Lawler underwent foot surgery Tuesday, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com tweets. The Rams drafted Lawler in the seventh round out of SMU. He profiles as a full-season IR candidate. Teams must carry players through to the 53-man roster for them to be eligible for IR-return status during the season.

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