The Dallas Cowboys know they still have plenty of time to negotiate a long-term deal with Dak Prescott, but they would clearly prefer to sign the quarterback to an extension before having to use the franchise tag.
The Cowboys have sent Prescott a new contract offer ahead of Thursday’s franchise tag deadline, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. While the exact terms of the latest offer are unknown, the assumption is that it is somewhere in the neighborhood of the $33.5 million per year Aaron Rodgers got from the Green Bay Packers and Jared Goff got from the Los Angeles Rams.
Prescott reportedly turned down an offer from the Cowboys that was worth $33 million per year and included $105 million guaranteed. The fact that they are offering him another deal could be an indication that the two sides are not that far apart, otherwise Dallas would probably just wait for the franchise tag and go from there.
Prescott was said to be seeking an average annual salary that would make him by far the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, but that was likely just a starting point in negotiations.
If the Cowboys can sign Prescott to a long-term deal without having to place the franchise tag on him, they then have the option of being able to use the tag on Amari Cooper. Cooper is also set to become a free agent, and the team is hoping to bring him back as well.
