Dallas Cowboys VP Stephen Jones still fired up to do long-term deal with Dak Prescott
That the Dallas Cowboys didn’t get a long-term deal done with quarterback Dak Prescott has some wondering about his long-term future with the team, considering the continually increasing market and the coming cap constraints with the expected losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But while vice president Stephen Jones admits the NFL COVID-19 shutdown affected the negotiations with Prescott, he said the team has not given up hope of signing him to a contract extension.
Jones acknowledged that the team made a late push to get a deal right before the July 15 deadline and plans to resume talks after the season. But nothing has transpired to change their plans regarding Prescott.
“We had a great visit with him at the deadline. We pushed to try to have a few more changes here and there to see if we could get it done,” Jones told the team’s website recently. “But he’s got such a great outlook on the Dallas Cowboys, our football team, and he’s ready to go out and win a Super Bowl, which would only create more value for him, more value for the Cowboys.
“So we’re fired up about it and still have nothing but 100% belief in Dak and his future with the Cowboys, and that we can ultimately get a deal done. He’s special. As (owner) Jerry (Jones) and I have said, we are 110% behind him, and ultimately feel like we’ll get this done.”
Because they didn’t get a deal done by July 15, Prescott will play in 2020 on the $31.4 million franchise tag, the richest one-year salary in franchise history. League rules prevent them resuming negotiations until after the 2020 season.
Prescott turned down the Cowboys last reported offer of a five-year deal for just under $35 million annually that included $110 million in guaranteed money, according to a source.
“We didn’t quite get it done. I wouldn’t put blame on either side. It’s just one of those things, when you’re talking about a deal as big as this is — for our team, not just for Dak but our entire team, the ramifications that it has — we certainly want to get it done right,” Jones said. “I know he’s respectful of Jerry and myself of what we’re trying to get accomplished, just as we are with him.”
Prescott wants a four-year deal while the Cowboys wouldn’t budge off five for salary cap reasons. And Prescott wanted more in guaranteed money to consider doing a longer deal, according to a source.
“Certainly, we’ve got nothing but respect for Dak and his representation in terms of what they’re trying to get out of the deal,” Jones said. “They certainly want a shorter deal. Historically we have, as management, wanted longer deals because it’s more cap friendly and we’re able to spread some things out and keep some players. At the end of the day, and Dak understands this, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
The problem going forward is the COVID-19 pandemic and the expected losses due to the lack of fans in the stands and the cancellation of the preseason.
The salary cap is expected to be $175 million in 2021, down from $198.2 million in 2020. If the Cowboys couldn’t get a deal done now, there is little hope to get one done then when the franchise number to keep Prescott rises to $37.7 million, which would also be the baseline for any long-term deal – especially when Jones has already said the pandemic affected the most recent negotiations. The Cowboys also don’t have the cap space to carry Prescott on the franchise tag in 2021.
“We’ve never had one quite like it,” Jones said, referring to negotiating during the pandemic. “It’s certainly very interesting times when you look at what’s going on with having to sit down with the union and negotiate what goes on with the virus when the revenues aren’t where they should be. So we had some challenges because it wasn’t normal times.”
Times may get back to normal in 2021 but signing Prescott won’t get easier. Yet, Jones and the Cowboys remain hopeful.
This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
