Prescott expected to sign franchise tag
While quarterback Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys remain at an impasse on a longterm extension, there was never any doubt regarding his presence on the field in 2020 because of the franchise-tag designation.
That point should be proven on Monday when Prescott is expected to sign his $31.4 million exclusive franchise tender, a source said, confirmed an earlier ESPN report on Sunday.
The Cowboys placed the tag on Prescott on March 18. He had refused to sign the tag and boycotted the Cowboys’ virtual off-season program, which ended last week, as leverage in continued negotiations.
The two sides still have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal.
Prescott’s signature ensures that he will report to training camp on time and be ready to go for the start of the season, with or without a long-term deal.
Prescott, who has started every game and made two Pro Bowls since coming to the Cowboys as a fourth-round pick in 2016, took home just over $2 million in 2019 after earning $630,000 in 2018, $540,000 in 2017 and $450,000 during his rookie season in 2016.
But Prescott signing the tag doesn’t mean that the two sides are close. What is certain is that Prescott will receive the highest salary ever given to a Cowboys player for one season if he plays on the tag in 2020.
And if the two sides agree on a long-term deal, he would likely become the highest-paid player in NFL history.
The Cowboys’ last offer came in late March and, according to a source, it was a five-year deal for more than $34 million annually.
But it did not reach $35 million, which would match the salary of the league’s highestpaid player, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
It did, however, edge Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger’s $34 million annual deal for the second-high- est paid player in the NFL.
The source also indicated that the guaranteed money in the Cowboys’ last offer matched Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff’s NFL record of $110 million guaranteed.
The biggest stumbling block has been the length of the contract, sources have said. Prescott wants a four-year deal, which is in keeping with the recent deals signed by top quarterbacks, including Wilson, Goff, Philadelphia Eagles’ Carson Wentz and Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers.
The Cowboys want to do a five-year deal to help with the salary cap. If the Cowboys have to franchise Prescott in 2021, his salary will be $37.7 million. That could be difficult because of a reduced salary cap expected due to COVID-19 financial losses.