Self-imposed deadline for a deal

RustyBourneHorse

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I thought this was a done deal and evidently I was wrong and there's a chance a deal does not get done and what good does it do to tag Prescott for one year? If they tag him and keep him for the year, that's all they're getting from him and then the new QB era will begin.

This is all about the future of the team and a tag is just running in place when they need to be moving forward.

If they do use the tag, they need a strict deadline for getting a long term deal into place at least one week prior to the draft. At that point, they can explore their options about which QB to take and rescind the tag and he can go wherever he wants that will pay him 41.5M for 3 years.

Am I missing something here? They've been at this for two years and haven't been able to come to terms and that deadline story from Prescott is starting to look just like that, a story.

What does a tag do? Buy more time. Time for what? Either they feel he is a 40M QB and the QB of the future or they don't.

His agent is a take it or leave it negotiator so nothing is going to change and the Joneses are doing nothing but wasting time if they are not going to meet his demands.

The non exclusive tag will not work. Name the team that will forfeit 2 1sts and pay Prescott what he wants. All that does is add more time to a situation that has already taken too much time.

They need a self-imposed deadline for themselves to move forward, not for a deal to get done unless they are giving in.

If Prescott hasn't come off that position, let him go seek out a new team and draft a QB with that 1st but they will have to move up as the number projected is now up to 5 QB's in the 1st 10 picks, which will be a record. And I think it is apparent that he's going to play hardball with them as this has gone on longer than any contract negotiation in NFL history.

I realize the inherent risk in drafting a QB and the need for D help but this is what it is. This team cannot begin to fix their problems paying a QB 37.7M for one season. What's the reasoning in that? They can't even keep average players on their defense. Quinn starts off in a hole.

But the real deadline is accepting the fact the Prescott era is over and a new one beginning. Take the QB and use the money on a couple of real FA's, not third wavers, and quite possibly because of the talent on the offense, a rookie QB can step in much like Marino, Rothliesberger and Prescott were able to do and they have a better season than they would have had with a tagged QB.

Deadlines aren't for just getting deals done but for ourselves in making the hard tough decisions that we'd prefer not to make but they must be made for that coaching staff and 52 other players. It's about them, not him.

At this point, I don't mind the possibility of drafting a QB in round 1, if that's what we're going to end up doing. However, I'd rather not trade up. We need all the help we can get on defence, and trading up means losing valuable picks that can fix this horrific defence. I'd rather stay at 10 and see who falls to us. I want CB round 1, but I won't complain about a QB as long as we don't trade away valuable assets to fix the defence. If Mac Jones is there at 10, that's probably who I'd take at this spot. We've neglected defence far too long, and we'll end up worse than 2000-2005 if we don't fix this defence, and it may take a miracle to get us to relevance.
 

Rayman70

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The ridiculous excuses around here as to Daks worth/value. HONESTLY FOLKS! You guys realize he might have the most 80 yard drives for scores other than Mahomes? You all realize we had to put up 40 burgers just to compete all of 2020 because our defense was THAT BAD? How is that Daks fault? Before his injury he was on a scorching pace to shatter Cowboys records. That said, a 3 year deal is a nonstarter and if he holds on that, just saying we need to call some teams and see what his value is via tag and trade. I say put the nonexclusive tag on him and lets see.
 

TwoCentPlain

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‘Sources?’ ‘Could, ..., should, if ..., while optimistic, etc.’

See him running on video yet? Cutting? Planting? Throwing?

Those ‘sources’ sound like agents in Dak’s camp. Pumping sunshine and smoke and mirrors. Hurry up and sign, Jerry, before the news of PUP breaks.
 

Verdict

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Does anyone know what the non-exclusive tag would cost the Cowboys for Dak? It is an average of the top 10 QB contracts instead of the top 5 QB contracts. Of course it would be 20 percent higher than the normal FT amount because he was tagged last year.

If Dak wants to be a Cowboy he WILL sign before draft day. If he doesn't sign by draft day, I think one can infer that he doesn't care if he is a Cowboy, or not, or doesn't want to be a Cowboy at all.
 

CouchCoach

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If you give him the non-exclusive FT, I think they save a significant amount of cap room.
The way I read this was either tag and he gets 120% of his last tag salary so they save no cap and can divert none.

The advantage is the 2 1sts if any other team bites on his deal. Then they have 5 days to match or take the picks.

One of the unknowns in this is what has his agent done behind the curtain to ascertain what other teams might be willing to offer? Think he hasn't run some "what if's" by people he knows in the biz?
 

RustyBourneHorse

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Yeah I think it would have to somehow be a 3 team trade.

The Jets would be stupid to move on from Darnold or Zach Wilson for Dak. That's not the move for them.

I think the Steelers would be a great place for Dak to go. The places Dak could go though is very limited which is why I would love to see an open market bid for him with the stipulation of giving us draft picks if we don't match.

I have said for a while that I think Chicago is the perfect place for Dak, if he does leave us. I think they have the defence and oline to help him. They've got an excellent RB. They've got some excellent WRs. QB has been a long time woe for the Bears. So, that'd be the place that'd make the most sense. That's the team I see us being able to get the most picks from given how badly they need QB. Oh, and he's usually held his own against Rodgers and usually beats the Bears' rivals. So, I think, all in all, Chicago is perfect for Dak.
 

Verdict

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Highest probability odds are that Dak is tagged on non-exclusive and traded on or about draft day.
My opinion:

1. If Dak WANTS to be a Cowboy, he signs for about what we offered him last year and agrees to a 5 year deal with a voidable 5th year, before the FT deadline.
2. Dallas uses the NON-EXCLUSIVE tag on Dak by the deadline.
3. If someone sign Dak to a contract, that isn't beneficial to the Cowboys, then the Cowboys take the two first round picks. The market for Dak should be less than 10 teams. Maybe even as little as 2 or 3.
$. If Dak gets no offers he really wants, then Dak will probably play out this year on the franchise tag, because his market value will drop like a rock.
 

CouchCoach

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Does anyone know what the non-exclusive tag would cost the Cowboys for Dak? It is an average of the top 10 QB contracts instead of the top 5 QB contracts. Of course it would be 20 percent higher than the normal FT amount because he was tagged last year.

If Dak wants to be a Cowboy he WILL sign before draft day. If he doesn't sign by draft day, I think one can infer that he doesn't care if he is a Cowboy, or not, or doesn't want to be a Cowboy at all.
The Joneses don't have the balls to play the real game. I wouldn't tag him and I would take a QB in the draft and let him see if he can beat my deal. But then my deal might change.

No team has ever won by offering themselves up as hostage to a player. That is why Belichick always makes sure he's the one on top. He never gives the player the leverage. Do you think he would allow himself to get in the spot HOU and SEA are in right now?

Right or wrong, and I do believe it's one of the reasons he's successful, he is never the tail, he is always the dog. Some players like Brady and Amendola don't like that, I noticed they didn't like it after they were gone.

The Joneses could help themselves immensely if they'd just walk this deal and send the message they don't crater anymore. That's why all of this is happening, it is their rep as blinkers that's allowing France to play hardball. If not for the Lawrence, Elliot and Cooper deals, I don't think this is dragging out.
 

Verdict

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The way I read this was either tag and he gets 120% of his last tag salary so they save no cap and can divert none.

The advantage is the 2 1sts if any other team bites on his deal. Then they have 5 days to match or take the picks.

One of the unknowns in this is what has his agent done behind the curtain to ascertain what other teams might be willing to offer? Think he hasn't run some "what if's" by people he knows in the biz?

I think one thing here can be taken as fact: If Dak doesn't sign by draft day, he intends to hit the market as a free agent.
 

CATCH17

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I don’t think anyone on here factors in Dak’s ankle when discussing this contract.

We all assume he comes back fine.


Mike Bassick still stands by what he’s heard though when asked about Dak’s ankle.


Myself.. If some of these guys can come back from nerve damage and near amputation then I think Dak will be fine.
 

Verdict

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The Joneses don't have the balls to play the real game. I wouldn't tag him and I would take a QB in the draft and let him see if he can beat my deal. But then my deal might change.

No team has ever won by offering themselves up as hostage to a player. That is why Belichick always makes sure he's the one on top. He never gives the player the leverage. Do you think he would allow himself to get in the spot HOU and SEA are in right now?

Right or wrong, and I do believe it's one of the reasons he's successful, he is never the tail, he is always the dog. Some players like Brady and Amendola don't like that, I noticed they didn't like it after they were gone.

The Joneses could help themselves immensely if they'd just walk this deal and send the message they don't crater anymore. That's why all of this is happening, it is their rep as blinkers that's allowing France to play hardball. If not for the Lawrence, Elliot and Cooper deals, I don't think this is dragging out.

That would not be the smart play. Hit Dak with the non-exclusive tag, and see what happens. But Dak might sign the tag and refuse to sign long term. I think that's the Cowboys worst case scenario, and a real possibility. But the Cowboys need to be looking hard at the QB market in free agency and the draft before they use the tag.
 

CouchCoach

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Here's a question. There are some disgruntled fan bases out there because of the failure of the teams to have a QB, does Prescott solve that for any of them?

Couple this with Watson and Wilson in the trade rumor mill and if your team, not named the Cowboys, spends the kind of money he wants and gives up picks, are you happy?
 

CouchCoach

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That would not be the smart play. Hit Dak with the non-exclusive tag, and see what happens. But Dak might sign the tag and refuse to sign long term. I think that's the Cowboys worst case scenario, and a real possibility. But the Cowboys need to be looking hard at the QB market in free agency and the draft before they use the tag.
I don't want him to sign the tag and be on the hook for 37.7M. If this team was in the window, that's a totally different situation.

Those that point out these teams that go from the cellar to the mountaintop in one season all have one thing in common, they don't have the Joneses running their team. Every time I start thinking that this is a team like any other, I have to stop myself and consider their presence. That changes everything.
 

jazzcat22

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They are not going to let Dak walk for a 3rd round comp pick. But you are right, that's the floor here. That's why you use the non-exclusive FT. You either get two firsts for Dak, or you hammer him hard on negotiating power. Either way is a win for the Cowboys. It is the smart play at this point. You want to avoid getting a 3rd round pick for him next year. The Cowboys still hold some cards here, and they need to play all of them before draft day.

Yes forgot about the non exclusive tag. I think that is what they really need to do.
 

Plankton

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If you give him the non-exclusive FT, I think they save a significant amount of cap room.

They don't have that option - they are locked into 37.7M with the franchise tag no matter what version of the franchise tag they use. They should have used the non-exclusive tag last year, but that ship already sailed. They can use the non-exclusive tag to allow for other teams to bid on him, but the Cowboys are locked into 37.7M as the cap charge for the tag.
 

Creeper

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It's a serious question. If they move on form Darnold, that's one admission but to trade the 2nd rounder when they might have had Wilson, already a better skill set than Prescott, does that make their fanbase happy?

Prescott is a household name because of all this BS around the Joneses and negotiation and the media. His name recognition far outweighs what he has accomplished as a QB.

Ok, I see what you are saying. But Sam Darnold was a highly touted QB prospect in 2018, at one time was thought to be the first pick in the draft. I know some folks are high on Wilson right now, but there is no guarantee Wilson will ever be better than Sam Darnold. He is an unproven college QB, and frankly, his ascent in the draft has been more recent. With Prescott, the Jets know what they are getting. No, he is not Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady, but he is a top 10 QB and maybe a little better. Plus, there is no curve for him to grow up in the NFL. Prescott is already a veteran, but he is still fairly young for a QB.

I am not saying the Jets will make this trade, but if they draft another college QB and he doesn't play any better than Darnold, there is going to be hell to pay in NY/NJ. My point is only that Dak is a reasonable option for the Jets, not that they will do it. Of course we are just throwing stuff around, but with CAP space, the Jets are a team that could be willing to make a trade for Dak.
 

buybuydandavis

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I thought this was a done deal and evidently I was wrong and there's a chance a deal does not get done and what good does it do to tag Prescott for one year? If they tag him and keep him for the year, that's all they're getting from him and then the new QB era will begin.

This is all about the future of the team and a tag is just running in place when they need to be moving forward.

If they do use the tag, they need a strict deadline for getting a long term deal into place at least one week prior to the draft. At that point, they can explore their options about which QB to take and rescind the tag and he can go wherever he wants that will pay him 41.5M for 3 years.

Am I missing something here? They've been at this for two years and haven't been able to come to terms and that deadline story from Prescott is starting to look just like that, a story.

What does a tag do? Buy more time. Time for what? Either they feel he is a 40M QB and the QB of the future or they don't.

His agent is a take it or leave it negotiator so nothing is going to change and the Joneses are doing nothing but wasting time if they are not going to meet his demands.

The non exclusive tag will not work. Name the team that will forfeit 2 1sts and pay Prescott what he wants. All that does is add more time to a situation that has already taken too much time.

They need a self-imposed deadline for themselves to move forward, not for a deal to get done unless they are giving in.

If Prescott hasn't come off that position, let him go seek out a new team and draft a QB with that 1st but they will have to move up as the number projected is now up to 5 QB's in the 1st 10 picks, which will be a record. And I think it is apparent that he's going to play hardball with them as this has gone on longer than any contract negotiation in NFL history.

I realize the inherent risk in drafting a QB and the need for D help but this is what it is. This team cannot begin to fix their problems paying a QB 37.7M for one season. What's the reasoning in that? They can't even keep average players on their defense. Quinn starts off in a hole.

But the real deadline is accepting the fact the Prescott era is over and a new one beginning. Take the QB and use the money on a couple of real FA's, not third wavers, and quite possibly because of the talent on the offense, a rookie QB can step in much like Marino, Rothliesberger and Prescott were able to do and they have a better season than they would have had with a tagged QB.

Deadlines aren't for just getting deals done but for ourselves in making the hard tough decisions that we'd prefer not to make but they must be made for that coaching staff and 52 other players. It's about them, not him.

Last year was the time to trade Dak. We had a starting QB signed as backup. Moving on from Dak was optional at that point, so we had leverage in negotiations. We could easily walk away.

Dak won't sign the tag *before* the draft so he can't be traded. If we pick a QB high, we've lost leverage against teams wanting to trade for Dak, and they'll have less incentive to do so, with Dak only a season away from free agency, and having missed most of their offseason.

We'd need a bidding war for Dak, and that seems unlikely, as by the time he signs the tag, most teams will have already made their commitments at QB.
 

john van brocklin

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At this point, I don't mind the possibility of drafting a QB in round 1, if that's what we're going to end up doing. However, I'd rather not trade up. We need all the help we can get on defence, and trading up means losing valuable picks that can fix this horrific defence. I'd rather stay at 10 and see who falls to us. I want CB round 1, but I won't complain about a QB as long as we don't trade away valuable assets to fix the defence. If Mac Jones is there at 10, that's probably who I'd take at this spot. We've neglected defence far too long, and we'll end up worse than 2000-2005 if we don't fix this defence, and it may take a miracle to get us to relevance.
Great write up !!!
 
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