Report: No progress on Dak Prescott’s contract, franchise tag a possibility

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is playing the best football of his career to this point, and that is great news for everyone that has a rooting interest in the team. Football is a game that can generally only be played at a high level if you have a good quarterback, and Dak certainly fits that bill. As a result, the bill he’s filing to the team for his services is a large one, paying a quarterback is never a cheap thing in today’s NFL.

It’s well-known that 2019 is a contract year for Dak Prescott (and Jason Garrett, don’t forget about Amari Cooper, Byron Jones or Maliek Collins either). Dallas has already handed out some long-term extensions to players over the last year. We all saw DeMarcus Lawrence, Jaylon Smith, La’el Collins, and Ezekiel Elliott get paid. Dak is among those that are next in line.

Considering we’re officially halfway through the season and that there was no long-term extension finalized during the bye week there is one option staring the team in the face when it comes to handling Dak’s deal in the offseason... the franchise tag. We could be headed there according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

However, with the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott, no progress was made on contract talks during the off week, sources say. In fact, negotiations in earnest have not gone on for some time.

As Dallas is set to face the Minnesota Vikings tonight, there is “nothing going on,” per one source.

This means Prescott is headed toward the franchise tag this offseason. At this point in the season, with a tag looming, it’s hard to imagine a new deal getting done. That said, neither side has put a deadline on it and talks could kick into gear at any point.

This makes perfect sense honestly given that the Cowboys and Dak don’t have a deal. The franchise tag is often used by teams as a tactic to buy more time before they buy something else, there is no way that the Cowboys are going to let their quarterback walk which is why they’ll likely resort to this option.

It’s a bit coincidental that this news would surface on the day that the Cowboys are hosting the Vikings. Minnesota’s quarterback, Kirk Cousins, famously went through the process of playing on franchise tags with his old team (the Washington Redskins) in an effort to fully achieve what he felt he was worth. He ultimately signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings worth $84M, a deal that was fully guaranteed.

As mentioned, Prescott is playing very well during a season of such importance. He is near the top in most statistical categories and has helped the Cowboys achieve a 5-3 record halfway through the season.

It’s important to note that this coming offseason is a unique one as far as franchise and transition tags are concerned. While generally a team can only utilize one in 2020 specifically they will be able to utilize both. This is critical because the Cowboys could place the transition tag on someone like Amari Cooper or Byron Jones if and when they do ultimately place the franchise tag on Dak Prescott.