Dak Prescott is a priority without a deadline for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys gave Prescott, 26, the exclusive franchise tag before he could become a free agent in March, preventing him from negotiating with any other teams and assigning him on a $33 million salary for 2020.
Two days into the virtual offseason program under new head coach Mike McCarthy, there is no change in Prescott’s status with the team — he’s tagged, and there’s no known timeframe for a contract to be completed, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday.
“It’s not in a list of priorities, as you could imagine, with everything that we all are dealing with, as well as what we’re doing with the draft,” Jones said. “So I don’t have a timeframe, but I’m not concerned about that at all as to any of those issues.
“And again, no surprises here; no surprises on the amount that the franchise counts against the (cap); no surprise that we’re sitting here, relative to where we are, without a long-term agreement.”
The Cowboys are reportedly closely studying quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft. Jones said that process has “nothing to do” with Prescott, but having insurance behind him. McCarthy wants to have two capable quarterbacks on the roster whenever the 2020 regular season begins.
Cooper Rush is currently the No. 2 quarterback on the roster. He’s entering the final year of his contract. Clayton Thorson is also listed on the team’s roster but wouldn’t likely advance with the team on the active roster into the regular season.
Since Prescott is not under contract, he is not expected to participate in the voluntary portions of the offseason. Drafting a quarterback in the middle rounds — Prescott himself was a fourth-round pick — such as Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts could provide the Cowboys with a developmental quarterback and some leverage with Prescott.
Prescott and the team have until July 15 to work out a long-term extension, or he will be locked into the one-year deal and again approach free agency next March. The sides reportedly resumed negotiations in late March.
A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Prescott set career highs in 2019, his fourth NFL season, with 4,902 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes.
–Field Level Media
