Report: Cowboys trying to “buck history” with Dak Prescott deal before franchise tag deadline

When you are dealing with a big-time player needing a new contract, any news is significant. This is the case for the Dallas Cowboys as their quarterback, just the most important position in sports, no big deal, Dak Prescott is in need of a brand new deal. Given the way that quarterbacks are paid these days odds are that Dak is going to be pretty wealthy very soon.

This isn’t a situation where Dak Prescott is on the final year of his current deal or has any room left. His rookie contract has expired and therefore the Cowboys currently do not have him signed into 2020. If they do not get something done before free agency hits he will hit the open market, unless they place the franchise tag on him.

It’s obvious that the Cowboys will tag Dak if they need to, but it would be great if things didn’t need to come to that. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported early this week that the Cowboys are going to try their darnedest to get something done before needing to use the tag.

Under the rules of the current CBA, teams are allowed to use both the franchise and transition tags this particular offseason. Given that Dak Prescott is priority number one, something Stephen Jones said recently, it makes sense to focus on him first, but if a tag is not needed on him then that frees the Cowboys up to place both of them on say Amari Cooper and Byron Jones. That’s where getting this done soon would be very beneficial.

Of course the Cowboys are not likely going to get a deal done with Dak before the deadline unless they are in the neighborhood of a market-setting deal (what most quarterbacks get). Dak’s representation has no need to rush a deal as the threat of a franchise tag will only stress out the Cowboys.

Time is ticking.