Getty Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is believed to be pleased with the team's recent moves.
Russell Wilson may want the Dallas Cowboys more than the Dallas Cowboys want Russell Wilson.
Per ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys are “unfazed” by the swirling rumors enveloping Wilson, disenchanted in Seattle, and in fact remain committed to signing their own quarterback, Dak Prescott, to a long-term contract.
“From what I’m hearing, Dallas is unfazed by the Russell Wilson talk,” Fowler said Friday on ESPN’s Get Up, via 247Sports. “They are dug in with Dak Prescott. They’ve gone underground. They know they’ve been talking about this for two years and that people don’t believe them — that it’s not going to get done. They want to finalize this with Prescott. They’ve got until March 9 before the franchise tag.
“There are some people around the league who believe they are going to tag him and then trade him, because that money — $37.7 million — is just too much to overcome in a deficit salary cap year of $180 million. So, they’ll try work it out. But Dallas is going to tag him if they don’t get it done by March 9, and then it gives them four months to try and figure it out.”
What Fowler heard echoes what former ESPN news-breaker Josina Anderson reported Thursday after Dallas again was linked to a potential blockbuster trade involving the eight-time Pro Bowl passer.
“Snap reaction from a source out of Dallas: ‘Dak is our QB. Still working on getting something done,’” Anderson tweeted.
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Adam Schefter: Wilson Issues Trade Request to 4 Teams
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday that although Wilson has not yet formally demanded a trade, the Super Bowl 48 champion provided an exclusive list of teams he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for — the Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears.
But to trade for Wilson is to give up on Prescott, and that — to put it kindly — would not be wise. The latter (32) is five years younger than the former (27) and arguably a better fit in Kellen Moore’s offense. Rather than rent Wilson, who inked a $140 million new-money extension in 2019, the Cowboys can purchase Prescott, with whom long-term contract negotiations have begun, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer on Monday.
But even if the front office inexplicably decides to part ways, because there’s no chance Prescott walks for free, they must first place the franchise tag on him and then hope he formally signs the tag. And then hope to find a trade partner willing to pay him upwards of $40 million annually.
A #Cowboys source found the Russell Wilson to Dallas news cycle equally entertaining. In other words, “NO!” when I double checked. Yet, I feel like this will be my next #EarlWatch bc #Cowboys fans always love a good bone to chew on 😂
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Agent Rolls out Record-Setting Proposal for Prescott
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones does not know how Prescott could have any more leverage in long-term contract talks, and the linchpin signal-caller may very well use it to bend the organization over a barrel and become one of the richest quarterbacks in league history.
Such is the scenario envisioned by tenured NFL agent and CBS Sports contributing writer Joel Corry, who laid out a roadmap for Prescott, an unrestricted free agent, to score a three-year, $124.5 million deal — $41.5 million per year — with $100 million fully guaranteed at signing and a $60 million signing bonus.
READ NEXT: Cowboys to Receive Massive Haul in Potential Dak Prescott Trade: Report
Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL