“Maybe a Little Behind-the-Scenes Tug-of-War” – Analyst on Dak Prescott being Tagged

Quarterback Dak Prescott signed a one-year franchise tender worth $31.4 million with the Dallas Cowboys earlier this week. This comes after months of negotiations between the two sides over a long-term deal (which still hasn’t been finalized). The tender, however, allows them a window for further negotiations, which is good as neither the Cowboys nor Prescott want to part ways. If nothing works out, Dak will play the 2020 season on the franchise tag and the Cowboys will have an option to renew the tag next year.

What the tag holds for Prescott in the immediate future?

By signing the deal, Prescott has become the seventh player to be tagged by Dallas. Among these, only three were eventually signed on for the long-term. Thus, this tender is no assurance of Dak staying with the Cowboys after the 2020 season.

However, Prescott signing the deal means that he will be attending training camp this year. “

He can start going the offense and when they are ready to get together, he can hit the ground running a little bit,” analyst Matt Mosley told The Herd.

Is this a battle between the Cowboys’ owner and new coach?

Colin Cowherd, an analyst, believes that Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, wants to retain Prescott’s services for at least five years, but the team’s head coach, Mike McCarthy, may not want that. “Is there a… maybe a little behind-the-scenes tug-of-war on Dak between [the] owner and new coach?” asked Cowherd.

On this, Mosley said he doesn’t think so. McCarthy may have a lot of ground to stand and while Jones loves him, he wouldn’t want to “get off on the wrong foot… He’ll choose another battle.

“Mike McCarthy has been told, I believe, ‘this is your quarterback’. You know, there’s no… nobody’s walking through that door. Andy Dalton, not gonna draft anybody, this is the quarterback you have to work with.”

A rather lucrative deal for Dak Prescott

Whether or not he signs with Dallas for the long-term, Prescott will still be making a lot of money in the coming years. If a long-term deal doesn’t come through this year, the Cowboys will have to guarantee Prescott about $38 million next year to tag him again. So, with two tags (like Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins), Dak will make roughly $70 million in 2020 and 2021 combined, only to then hit free agency at a rather young age. This free agency would result in a bidding war with the only concern for the Pro Bowler being a lower salary cap (which seems possible due to the impact of the pandemic on revenues).

If a long-term deal is inked by July 15, Prescott would be in for an estimated $125 million or more, given Carson Wentz’s recent extension with the Philadelphia Eagles.

So, while Dak seems to be holding the cards, he most likely will agree to a long-term deal with the Dallas Cowboys given the security, both economically and otherwise, it has to offer. However, if things don’t work out, he will still have equally profitable options.