Dak Prescott says he may skip Cowboys’ offseason workouts if tagged - Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire

Prescott raises the ante in contract negotiations.

Prescott can counter getting tagged by electing to not show up for offseason workouts, as he is not under contract until he signs the tag and therefore at no risk of violating any parameters if he does not appear until he does so. According to the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore, that might be what Prescott plans to do.

“You would hope and you would think something is going to get done, right?’’ Prescott said Thursday in his most pointed comments yet. “I mean, you would have thought something would have gotten done before the season.

Prescott inferred in an interview on Thursday he wouldn’t be working out in Dallas, or at The Star, if the team places the tag on him.

“In my brain, it only says that it gets done. Without the tag. …’’

Prescott paused for a second, searching for the right words.

“I don’t think any of that is necessary,’’ he said. “But that’s business. That’s all calculated.

“That’s all on them.’’

“Report that,’’ Prescott said. “Be sure to report that.’

Cowboys Have Almost No Dead Money on 2020 Salary Cap - Jess Haynie, Inisde the Star

What’s better than having good cap situations for the foreseeable future?

For years, the Dallas Cowboys had to play a dangerous game with managing “dead money” on their salary cap. There was constant restructuring and releasing of contracts to create cap space; constant deferment of cap issues from one years to the next. But as we prepare for the 2020 offseason, the Cowboys have cleaned up the books to where there is almost no dead money anymore.

Both Over The Cap and Spotrac have Dallas with just about $1.99 million in dead money for 2020. The bulk of that comes from releasing Taco Charlton last September, which caused $1.36 million of remaining guaranteed money to be counted against the 2020 cap.

Most of the remainder comes from early termination of other rookie deals, such as CB Michael Jackson and QB Mike White. Then there are several very small amounts based on minimal guarantees and bonuses.

Van Jefferson is emerging as an appealing option for the Dallas Cowboys on day two of the NFL Draft - Cole Patterson, Blogging the Boys

Van Jefferson on day two? Let’s do it!

Playing in a run-heavy offense at Florida, the talented pass-catcher from the state of Tennessee hauled in 84 catches for 1,160 yards and 12 touchdowns. The son of former NFL wideout Shawn Jefferson, he proved to be a critical factor for Dan Mullen’s first two Gators squads, as Florida won ten games in both seasons.

Jefferson is not the flashiest player at the position, but he was still able to average over 12 yards per reception while grabbing a total of 175 balls over his four-year career in two different offensive systems. That isn’t exactly easy to do.

Michael Bennett explains why he felt the need to speak up after Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day loss to Buffalo - SportsDay

Michael Bennett gives the answer to the questions we’ve all wondered.

Dennis: Bring us into the locker room on Thanksgiving Day, when you guys lose to Buffalo and you were the one that all the reporters heard in the locker room yelling after the game. And you were a brand new Cowboy, what had it been about three weeks? What was going on, were you showing leadership?

Bennett [7:15 mark]: “I think it’s always leadership. I think for me, I think a lot of times, there are a lot of people who hate me so any time I do something they try to make it negative. But for me, it was about building my teammates up and telling them ‘look, we sacrificed so much to be in this moment. We’re not with our families, we’re doing all this stuff, we’re playing through injuries, why get to the game and forget about what we’re supposed to do?’ I think the whole time we’re in this league, we do so much to get to these moments and to lose those games they hurt. Whenever I play the game I think about the guys that I played with that didn’t get to play in the game that got injured — they didn’t get that opportunity to be out there. The coach that you become really close to. Sometimes these coaches become father figures for some people. To know that you hold their job in your hand is a lot to deal with. For me, that is what the passion was about, it was about us seizing this moment. We had this opportunity in the NFC East where winning wasn’t the top thing, there were teams that were 8-8 and in the playoffs. We had an opportunity to really take a hold of that. Our own destiny was in our hands.”

Mailbag: What’s Next For Blake Jarwin? - Dave Helman, Rob Phillips, DallasCowboys.com

Is Blake Jarwin finally going to get the starting job?

I see that tight end Blake Jarwin is a restricted free agent. Will he be tendered and at what level? I’d really hate to see the guy go elsewhere and become a star. - ANDREW HARTNESS / FREDERICK, MD

David: I have to imagine he’ll be tendered because there’s no downside. We tend to overvalue Cowboys players because we spend all our time writing and talking about them, but I’d be willing to bet the front office could tender Jarwin at his original draft slot and keep him for 2020 on a $2 million salary. If they feel super strongly about him, they could assign him a second-round tender to make sure no other teams come sniffing around.

Rob: Questions about personnel are a little difficult to answer right now with almost an entirely new coaching staff that’s just getting started evaluating the roster and scheme. I do know the franchise felt Jarwin took a step forward this past year, and quarterback Dak Prescott has always liked his ability. It would make sense to tender Jarwin an offer and secure right of first refusal, but that’s just my guess. Teams have until March 15 to submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents.

Cowboys Playing An NFL Game In Mexico? There’s Only One Problem - Mike Fisher, Cowboy Maven

Could the Cowboys play a regular season game in Mexico in 2020?

In fact, the Cowboys have indeed participated in similar programs before. In the early 1990’s they went to Tokyo. They’ve played in London twice in the last 30 years, including in a regular-season game. And specific to Mexico City, Los Vaqueros played there in an “American Bowl’’ preseason game in 2001, and before that in 1994.

But preseason games are revenue-makers for the Cowboys (and of course, the NFL). Games on foreign soil are, less directly, profitable for all, too, as the league seems intent on conquering the world ... and all the TV dollars that come with such a conquest.

But in the Cowboys’ view, the one thing that is not profitable is the forfeiture of a home game at AT&T Stadium and the profits that roll in because of that.

The logistic issues? Lawrence’s view probably reflects a wide-spread one: They are worth it. (I traveled with the team to each of those aforementioned games, Tokyo, Mexico City twice, London twice ... all enriching experiences.) The Cowboys’ Spanish-speaking fan base? Lawrence is in touch with that as well; it’s the largest in North American sports. But the dollars and sense?

“We’re always interested,’’ Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said. “Our biggest issue is giving up a home game. ... We have never given up a home game and wouldn’t.’’

Two Cowboys defenders who could benefit the most from Mike Nolan’s new defense - David Howman, Blogging the Boys

Could Mike Nolan unlock two down the depth chart defenders?

Jalen Jelks will effectively be a rookie in 2020 since he spent the entirety of the 2019 season on the injured reserve with some mysterious injury that was never revealed. But the productive Pac 12 edge rusher - he had 15.5 sacks in 39 games at Oregon - fell to the 241st pick in the seventh round of the 2019 draft because of his tweener status.

Measuring at 6’5” and 245 pounds, Jelks had been played nearly everywhere on the defensive line of scrimmage, even as a 2-technique defensive tackle. His height and athleticism made him a mismatch in college but made it difficult to truly evaluate his best role at the next level. Dallas decided to take him in the seventh round and essentially gamble on his raw potential.

Now listed at 256 pounds on the team’s site, it seems that Jelks beefed up a bit to fit into a more traditional 4-3 defensive end role like Marinelli preferred, but Nolan’s arrival could reverse that. Coming into the draft, Jelks was noted for a high motor, incredible length, and consistently winning his pass rush reps with pure athleticism. However, he had glaring weaknesses in run defense and pass rush moves, and the long list of positions he played didn’t help.

Jelks was at his best as an edge rusher attacking the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. He saw enough snaps from a stand up role to be able to fit as a situational pass rusher in a 3-4, or as an undersized defensive end in a 4-3. Under Nolan, he could do both. Jelks probably isn’t a guy you want to be dropping back in coverage at all, but sometimes just the potential for an edge player to drop back can trick opposing quarterbacks.