Getty Dak Prescott
Days have turned to weeks and weeks to months in Dak Prescott’s quest for a long-term contract with the Dallas Cowboys. On that same token, for his part, patience has turned to disappointment and disappointment to what could be full-blown resentment if no deal is reached by the July 15 deadline.
Former Cowboys great and current FOX analyst Troy Aikman spoke to this possibility during a recent appearance on Ed Werder’s Doomsday podcast, suggesting Prescott feels a significant lack of respect emanating from the franchise.
“Within the organization, I don’t know if he’s gotten as much credit as he deserves or as much respect as he deserves,” Aikman said, via Cowboys Wire. “His rookie year, he led them to 13 wins, and there were conversations from the owner about what a great story it’d be if [Tony] Romo came off the bench and led them to a Super Bowl! I think there were comments like that than have taken away. I mean, this guy was a rookie at the time. He had played phenomenal. And I think there are comments like that… It’s only human nature, you begin to question, ‘Okay, well, just how respected am I? How much do they truly appreciate what I’ve done?’ And then when you’re going through contract negotiations, no matter who you are, they’re always a little bit contentious.”
“If they can’t come to an agreement,” Aikman added, “I would think that maybe deep down, there might be those feelings that maybe he’s not appreciated or respected as much as he would like.”
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Not the First Time It’s Been Said …
The disrespect angle is something that was broached almost immediately after Dallas slapped the $31.4 million exclusive franchise tag on Prescott. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen tweeted on March 16 the Cowboys “don’t believe there is disrespect aspect” to using the tag, which remains unsigned exactly three months later.
“Team sources insist again they have offered Dak more than Wentz & Goff. Difference has been length – team wanted 5 yr extension and Dak wanted 4 yr. Dak still hanging tough,” Mortensen wrote at the time.
ESPN’s Todd Archer revealed last month the Cowboys put an offer on the table that would vault Prescott to second-highest-paid overall in the NFL behind Seattle’s Russell Wilson, at more than $34 million annually. The proposal includes guarantees “on par” with Rams QB Jared Goff’s record-setting $110 million.
Although Prescott allegedly prefers to leapfrog Wilson as the league’s richest player on an annual basis, the $34 million-plus overture is an increase in Dallas’ previous proposal, worth $33.5 million with at least $105 million guaranteed.
But nothing’s come of it.
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ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported last week that “at this point, both sides aren’t really doing a lot of talking,” though “those that are close to the situation will consistently say this will probably get done before that July 15 deadline.”
The sides now have less than 30 days to strike an agreement or Prescott will be forced to play the 2020 season on the tag — or potentially dig his heels in further, creating a holdout scenario, grudges abound.
Tick, tock …
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