Getty Dak Prescott is set to earn a lot of money in 2021.
There may be more than just posturing by the Dallas Cowboys as they continue to consider Dak Prescott’s long-term future with the team. The Dallas Morning News’ David Moore noted the Cowboys would be better off moving on from Prescott rather than using the “nuclear option” of the franchise tag for a second straight year. The franchise tag would keep Prescott in Dallas for another season but greatly complicate the team’s salary cap space for this offseason.
“If the gulf remains and the club applies a second franchise tag in early March, the Cowboys must continue moving on from Prescott,” Moore explained. “Why? A second franchise tag is a nuclear option. If Dallas uses that tag and then is unable to sign Prescott to a long-term deal in July before training camp starts, the quarterback will play this season and then be gone next year in free agency.”
The Cowboys Should Consider Moving on from Prescott, Says Insider
Moore added that Jerry Jones wants to get a deal done with Prescott but that does not necessarily mean it will happen. The Cowboys have until March 9 to make a decision on using the franchise tag on Prescott yet again. Moore explains that moving on from Prescott would be a wiser option than using the tag for a second straight year.
“The Cowboys can’t let it get to that point,” Moore continued. “If the sides don’t reach an agreement by the March 9 deadline, or aren’t convinced a deal is imminent, the Cowboys must move on and look at jumping into this uncharacteristically unsettled quarterback market and the draft to find a replacement. Again, it’s not the preferred option, but it can’t be ruled out.”
The counter-argument is the Cowboys would be better off cutting corners at other positions given the likely dropoff between Prescott and the available quarterbacks. Former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman has said on several occasions that Dallas needs to find a way to get a deal done with Prescott. During a recent interview on Dallas 1310 The Ticket, Aikman stopped short of ruling out the Cowboys considering other quarterback options.
“Well, I wouldn’t rule anything past Jerry,” Aikman noted, per Inside the Star. “I say that as a compliment. I think he’s always trying to figure out what they can do or how he might be able to do something that will give them a chance. But I don’t see Dak not playing in Dallas… Going back to what we were talking about with Brady and Tampa Bay, it just reiterates the importance of that position,”
Prescott Is ‘Right on Course’ to Recover From His Ankle Injury
Given Prescott’s season-ending ankle injury, there is some concern over the quarterback’s health but all indications are there will not be long-term implications. Prescott sustained a compound fracture and dislocation on his right ankle but is expected to be ready for the 2021 season. During his end-of-season press conference, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy noted Prescott is “right on course” with his recovery.
“I’m definitely looking forward to working with Dak full time,” McCarthy said, per DallasCowboys.com. “He’s here every day going through rehab. He’s making progress, and just as you’d expect, he’s going after it full speed. As far as the timeline, I don’t have the specifics on when he’s going to be doing on-the-field work and dates and things like that. I don’t have that for you. But I do know based on the plan for his surgery and what he’s supposed to be doing and where he is, everything is right on course.”