Twitter: Slater: Cowboys are prepared to let each play on prove-it deals

[beware_d-ware]

It takes two sides to sign a contract. From the sounds of it, the team has made solid market-value offers to all 3 players. 2 of those players want to bet on themselves for another season, and the other one disagrees on the team's idea of market value (I'm guessing).

So the players don't want to sign the offer on the table. At this point, all the Cowboys can do is either escalate their offer into the above-market-value overpay range ($20M/yr for Cooper, anyone? $18M for Elliott?) or wait it out another year. Obviously the second scenario comes with risk, but the first scenario is suicide in a cap-driven league.

Your bargaining power in a negotiation is only as great as your ability to walk away. If we have no option to walk away from say a $35M/yr demand from Dak, then we are screwed regardless of whether we sign him because we are too dependent on that one player.

 

[visionary]

That’s a prime example of why you don’t trade those top picks for players unless you know they are worth the contract you have to give them
Roy Williams was not and a few here pointed that out before the trade
But you have to make that decision before you trade for a player
You can’t give a first rnd pick for a player and let him walk a year and a half later

The guy was not a great fit for us but what made the trade even more egregious was that he would have been a FA that off season so by waiting a few months we would not have had to trade anything for him

What a totally moronic trade

 

[JReed1000]

If ANYONE thinks Zeke has anything to prove...Please Log off.

 

[Stash]

They'll lose Dak or Cooper if one of them don't sign.

Yes. I think Cooper is a deal that they HAVE to get done. They're going to overpay on it, but they have no choice. And I think the agent knows that.

 

[Ranching]

Disagree, Coach. Zeke has led the league in rushing 2 out of the last 3 years. His off-the-field actions has cost him and the team, plus here he is now holding out and willing to hurt the team some more even though he is under contract for 2 more years. If rookie RBs Pollard and Weber keep shining this preseason, the offense will be fine while Zeke holds out. Plus, to respond to your statement on another thread stating a top RB is more important than an Oline, I beg to differ based on my personal experience. Yes, it is a luxury to have a top RB, but that RB still needs good blocking in front of him and have a good/smart QB to feed him. He can't do it all by himself. Troy as QB and Emmitt as RB proved just that towards their later years when they didn't have the best protection in front of them.

Agree to disagree. Even though I know I'm right! Lol!

 

[Jarv]

If that happened, their entire team sucks anyway, and shame on them for not already covering themselves with alternatives.

Well it did happen with Mr. Smith. 0-2 and Jerry gave in. We also won a superbowl that year so the team didn't suck.

 

[Stash]

Well it did happen with Mr. Smith. 0-2 and Jerry gave in. We also won a superbowl that year so the team didn't suck.

Were those two teams in '93 as bad as the current Giants, Commanders, and (first pick in the 2020 draft!) Dolphins? I don't recall that they were. In fact, I think one of them was in the Super Bowl the year before? Correct me if I'm wrong though.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

This is what bothers me about this front office approach. These guys have a number in mind. Meet in the middle and get the jobs done. If you don’t believe in them or want to get them for “cheap” then why not ship them out? There’s a price you have to pay your free agents. There’s no way around that. But this approach they are taking they are basically allowing for them to bet on themselves and INCREASE their market value which is stupid. I hate the Eagles but they ran and got in front of the market on Wentz and that should’ve been our approach with our guys.

 

[erod]

I have no doubt this true on paper.

However, the players want it guaranteed, and the Cowboys aren't doing that. That's where the standoff is.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Elliott needs to "prove" he can stay out of trouble.

If they have concerns about him staying out of trouble then they need to save their money. He’s about to be a 4 year pro. Those days should be over.

 

[erod]

They'll lose Dak or Cooper if one of them don't sign.

Not necessarily.

Franchise Dak, and put a transitional tag on Amari Cooper.

 

[aikemirv]

They saw what happened with D-Law, and it'll happen again.

Contracts always go up. What seemed like an "overpayment" a year ago is now considered ok the year after and 2 years later it's a steal.

It's like the rising house prices but without the fear of defaulting on your loan.

Say Dak wants 32 mil this year but the Cowboys are stuck on 30.5mil, for example. He goes out and has a good year, posts better numbers etc... He isn't going to accept 32 mil in 2020, and may want closer to 34-35, especially since Mahomes will be eligible for an extension in 2020 and he'll definitely reset the market.

Without Zeke, there is a slim chance Dak improves his value - those are just the facts!

 

[Plankton]

I totally agree.

But.......

Keep in mind, they only have one franchise tag. They're going to have to pay either Dak or Amari to keep one of them from becoming unrestricted. However, they also have a transition tag, right? Perhaps they can put a 1st-round tag on Cooper if it came to that.

Dak will be playing with a lot of money pressure this season if they do it this way. I really like that. Let him prove it, then pay the crap out of him. Or not, depending solely on how he improves and performs.

The transition tag only gives the team the right of first refusal. There's no additional compensation due the team if they refuse to match another team's offer sheet using a transition tag.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Agree to disagree. Even though I know I'm right! Lol!

Salud, Coach!!!

 

[erod]

The transition tag only gives the team the right of first refusal. There's no additional compensation due the team if they refuse to match another team's offer sheet using a transition tag.

It gives them the opportunity to match however without fear of another bid.

And most teams steer clear of transitional tag guys because they know they have to overpay to get them.

 

[AKATheRake]

So far it's been reported:

Zeke want's is going to hold out and does. He apparently wants to be the highest paid RB in the league.

Dak can't hold out because he's a RFA next season if he does, which hurts him but his agents are expecting him to the the highest paid player in the league.

According to Amari Cooper, he does not need to get a deal done right away and does not expect to be the highest paid WR in the league right now, but has the skill set and has to prove it.

Zeke cause he's already proven it and gets his wheels used more than anyone else on this team wants his payment now, especially at the position with the least longevity in the league. Problem is he's an off field issue and 1 more of those and who knows what the suspension will be.

 

[John813]

Not necessarily.

Franchise Dak, and put a transitional tag on Amari Cooper.

Only one can be used per offseason.

If they FT Dak then they have to get a deal done with Coop or risk him hitting the market.

 

[Sydla]

If ANYONE thinks Zeke has anything to prove...Please Log off.

Who the hell said he has to prove anything?

Well now that I write that, I think one could argue that he probably has to prove to the Cowboys that he's matured off the field since up until now, he's been largely a knucklehead off of it.

 

[Jarv]

Yeah and Elliot is wanting record setting money. Dak is asking for wentz money. I would pay Dak first. Elliot has to come down to earth a bit. It’s a huge drop off from 1 to 2 RB, gurly makes 14.3 and the next highest is like 8 million.

It was posted today that Dak wants to be the highest paid player in the NFL.

 

[erod]

Only one can be used per offseason.

If they FT Dak then they have to get a deal done with Coop or risk him hitting the market.

Ah, I think you're right.

They need to just take their chances. If things are going awesome and Dak is showing vast improvement, unload a huge deal on him midseason.

Otherwise, sit tight and wait and see.