Getty Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper
After careful consideration, taking into account the global COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL announced Sunday evening it’s notified all 32 teams that the new league year is to begin as planned.
This will have a significant, quick-forming ripple effect on the Dallas Cowboys.
With quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper needing new deals, and only one tag (franchise or transition) at their disposal, thanks to the freshly-ratified Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Cowboys are in a race against the clock.
The deadline to apply the tag is 11:59 a.m. ET on Monday. A minute later, at noon, the two-day legal tampering window opens where contracts can be formally agreed to but not physically signed.
Unrestricted free agency, when deals become official, is set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
As has been reported ad nauseam, the Cowboys are expected to franchise-tag Prescott barring agreement on a long-term deal, offers for which have recently exceeded a $33 million average annual value — roughly the same cost as the exclusive tag for 2020 — and $105 million guaranteed. Prescott reportedly prefers a four-year contract while Dallas pushes for an extended commitment. This is the supposed “sticking point” in slow-rolling, months-long negotiations.
On Saturday, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler claimed the Cowboys and their two-time Pro Bowl passer have had “minimal contact” since the last proposal, after last month’s Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Conversely, the club is likely to hammer out a multi-year pact with Cooper, possibly resetting the receiver landscape at upwards of $20 million AAV. ESPN’s Ed Werder reported Tuesday that Dallas is “working hard” to lock down Cooper, whose camp appears “motivated at the moment to get something done.”
The former Raiders star, traded to the Cowboys in October 2018, may eclipse the historic five-year, $100 million pact that New Orleans’ Michael Thomas signed last season, which included $60.598 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus.
The Cowboys, with $68.509 million of available salary-cap space, according to Spotrac.com, are in talks with “at least” six in-house free agents, Werder reported.
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The Cowboys will have plenty of leftover cap room, pending new deals for Prescott and Cooper. They’ll have a gaping hole at cornerback upon Byron Jones signing elsewhere. And there’s reported interest in Chris Harris Jr., who’s closed the door on returning to the Denver Broncos.
Such interest is mutual. As spotted by Blogging The Boys, the four-time Pro Bowler dropped a potential clue about his future intentions, following Prescott on social media giant Instagram.
Harris is perenially hailed among the league’s best CBs, particularly in the slot, where he’s honed a shutdown reputation. He was a Pro Football Focus darling from 2015-18, regularly earning elite coverage grades, before a slight downturn in his 2019 season.
If the Cowboys want Harris, they’ll need to reach deep into their pocketbook. Spotrac.com projects $11.125 million annually on a free-agent pact, but he may easily flirt with $13-14 million per year from a cap-flush team like the Las Vegas Raiders ($50.3 million), one of several suitors for Harris’ services.
The Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs are also rumored as landing spots. Harris’ camp reportedly spoke to “at least” 24 teams at last month’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL