The Dallas Cowboys slapped the franchise tag on Dak Prescott back in March, which was a move that did not surprise a whole lot of people. In fact, just about everyone expected it.
The Cowboys and Prescott obviously were not going to come to terms on a long-term deal ahead of free agency, as the gulf that existed last offseason still remained back in March. And now here we are in June, and apparently, it is still present.
But here is the problem: Dallas doesn't have much time left.
Jerry Jones and company have until July 15 to strike a long-term deal with Prescott. If they are unable to reach an agreement by then, Prescott will have to play out 2020 on the one-year tag, worth $31.409 million.
Yes, the Cowboys could always tag Prescott again next offseason, but if they do that, the price will increase to around $37 million for 2021. More importantly, putting this off until next March will create an awkward situation in a Dallas locker room that is in desperate need of a spark.
From a business perspective, the Cowboys' point of view is understandable in terms of the delay. They want to keep Prescott while also saving as much money as possible. It's how the world works.
But there comes a point in time where an organization needs to look past the dollars and look at the team.
Prescott is coming off of a terrific 2019 campaign in which he threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns. Yes, Dallas went 8-8 and missed the playoffs, but to pin that on Prescott is myopic and, really, just flat out wrong.
It was clear that Jason Garrett had lost the team to the point where Michael Bennett had to give the Cowboys a locker room pep talk following the club's Thanksgiving Day loss to the Buffalo Bills — the same Bennett who wasn't even on the team for the first several weeks of the season.
When a guy who just joined the club has to rally the troops, you know there's an issue.
So before blaming Prescott for Dallas' failures in 2019, instead take a look at the surrounding circumstances.
That's not to say Prescott is Patrick Mahomes. He isn't. And up until this past season, he was largely viewed as a game manager, a quarterback who could win games, but more because of his prudence rather than his raw talent.
But Prescott showed in 2019 that he is more than, say, Alex Smith. Say what you want about the Cowboys' offense being built around Ezekiel Elliott, but Prescott was dominant for parts of this past year and was clearly one of the primary reasons why Dallas was even in playoff contention to begin with.
Essentially, it's not easy to find franchise quarterbacks, and Prescott seems to be one. He may never be the best signal-caller in the NFL, and he might not even be a top-five guy. But a quarterback doesn't have to be Tom Brady to lead his team to a Super Bowl.
The fact of the matter is that Prescott is better than many quarterbacks in the league, and a legitimate argument can be made that he is a top 10 player at his position. That's definitely a player worth paying.
It's not like Prescott plays running back or tight end or any position that is relatively easily replaceable. He plays quarterback, which is typically the most important position in the NFL and the one that is the hardest to fill.
Look no further than the Cowboys themselves, who shuffled through project after project following the retirement of Troy Aikman before finally settling on Tony Romo midway through 2006.
Dallas was then lucky enough to nab Prescott in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, just in time for the Mississippi State product to replace — and ultimately usurp — an injured Romo that ensuing season.
It didn't take long for Prescott to show his potential, as he led the Cowboys to 13 wins and an NFC East division title in his rookie campaign. He led them to another division crown in 2018. He has already made a pair of Pro Bowl appearances (ironically enough, he didn't make the Pro Bowl in what was his best season in 2019).
Players like Quincy Carter and Drew Henson should be evidence enough for Dallas that it is difficult to find a franchise quarterback, especially one with an upstanding personality like Prescott.
Again, this isn't to say Prescott will be a Hall-of-Famer or that he is a sure-fire stud. But Dallas would be foolish to not lock him up before July 15. Sometimes, the grass isn't always greener, and the Cowboys may find that out the hard way if they continue to play hardball with Prescott.
Follow Us
Subscribe