Cowboys place tag on Dak
The Cowboys have placed their exclusive franchise tag on Dak Prescott, securing the rights to their star quarterback for an estimated $31.5 million while the sides continue working on a longterm deal.
The Cowboys announced the decision on their website about an hour before the deadline for teams to designate the franchise tag.
By using the tag on Prescott, the Cowboys will keep working to get a deal with Amari Cooper as the receiver gets set to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year starts, currently planned for Wednesday.
The Cowboys and Prescott have been working on a deal for about a year. The two-time Pro Bowler was one of the best bargains in the NFL last season with a base salary of $2 million as a fourthround pick in 2016.
Prescott was the 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year when he led the Cowboys on a franchise-record 11-game winning streak that vaulted them to the top seed in the NFC before losing to Green Bay in the divisional round.
The Cowboys made the playoffs again in 2018, with Prescott getting his first wild-card win, before falling short of high expectations by missing the postseason last year. The Cowboys didn’t renew coach Jason Garrett’s contract after the disappointing season and hired Mike McCarthy.
With the NFL’s offseason likely to be altered by the coronavirus pandemic, the Cowboys could have more opportunity to get a long-term deal with Prescott before he misses valuable time working with a mostly new coaching staff.
Prescott has the option of signing the franchise tender and guaranteeing his huge pay increase, but is likely not to sign it to help his leverage in negotiations.
When he was drafted, Prescott was the third-team quarterback behind Tony Romo and Kellen Moore. But preseason injuries to both made Prescott the starter, and Romo never got his job back.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said repeatedly he considers Prescott his franchise quarterback, and it’s just a matter of time before a deal gets completed.
Dallas traded a first-round pick to the Raiders for Cooper during the 2018 season. Cooper finished that year strong and was solid in the first half of 2019 before tailing off as the season progressed.
Titans use tag on Henry: Tennessee tagged Derrick Henry as its franchise player, making sure to keep the NFL rushing leader around for at least this season.
The Titans on Monday used the nonexclusive franchise tag on Henry. That means Henry still can receive offers from other teams, with the Titans able to match or receive two first-round draft picks. The Titans also have until July 15 to sign Henry to a long-term deal, or he will be paid $10.2 million in 2020.
The move comes a day after the franchise agreed to a four-year, $118 million deal with quarterback Ryan Tannehill, keeping the Titans’ top offensive players together.
Browns to get prized TE Hooper: The Browns are working toward a deal with two-time Pro Bowl free agent tight end Austin Hooper, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
Hooper was one of the main free agency targets for Cleveland, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because teams can’t officially announce deals until Wednesday.
Hooper has spent the past four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He’s had more than 70 catches the past two seasons.
NFL Network reported the sides have agreed to terms on a package that will make Hooper the NFL’s highest-paid tight end.
Notes: The Vikings and quarterback Kirk Cousins agreed to a two-year contract extension, his agent Mike McCartney said Monday. Cousins was entering the final season of the fully guaranteed, three-year, $84 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2018. ... The Buccaneers re-signed DE Jason Pierre-Paul to a two-year, $27 million deal. ... Free agent tackle Jack Conklin has agreed to a three-year, $42 million contract with the Browns, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told The Associated Press. Conklin, perhaps the best tackle available on this year’s market, will get $30 million guaranteed and earn $20 million in his first year, Rosenhaus said. Conklin will only be 28 when the deal expires. ... The Patriots put the franchise tag on offensive lineman Joe Thuney. ... Ben Watson is hanging up his cleats for the second time. The 39-year-old tight end announced his retirement in a message on Twitter on Monday, marking the end of a 15-year NFL career that included two stints in New England, as well as stops in Cleveland, New Orleans and Baltimore.