Chris Mortensen’s Dak Contract Update

I would like to think that all we are seeing is negotiation through the press and social media. As I understand, Dak has until July 15 to officially "sign" the exclusive tag offer. While it is not unusual for contracts to drag out, I would hope that the Cowboys approach the draft and the remainder of the off-season with a firm plan "B" in the event Dak holds out.

Now, my comments are not intended as a pro-Dak or a con-Dak. Rather, they simply relate to the uncertainty of contract negotiations. Personally, I would like to see the Cowboys grab a QB in the draft.

DeaconBlues said:

Except Trubisky is still under contract, and Dak is not. If Dallas traded for a QB, Dak’s agent asks for $50 million per year, knowing full well it won’t happen. Dallas would release him, as they can’t trade him unsigned, and if Dak wanted to poison a sign and trade, all he need do is announce he won’t sign an extension and will go back into the 2021 FA market.

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The market of teams for Dak this year was small and will almost be non existent after this years draft. So 2021 rolls around Jerry will be holding all the cards and can offer Dak even less if wants him. But I would cut him loose. No room exists for a player who wasn't willing to be reasonable.

stasheroo said:

Then why was defense not mentioned?






And both he and they are considered failures. And where's the head coach that presided over that team? Out of the league and trying to make inflammatory statements to keep his TV gig at this point. Hardly what I would use to bolster my case.




Where did he help that team to go while the supposed 'can't miss' draft pick failed? As I recall, Mariota was drafted #2 overall and even that was no guarantee he'd be good - clearly. But your idea is to 'roll the dice' even more than that?



The Titans and Tannehill just made the AFC Championship Game, losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champs, and you feel their best course of action should be hitting the reset button and rolling the dice on an unproven college quarterback? Think about that for a second.

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When I refer to winning football being controlling the LOS that means the trenches on BOTH sides of the ball. That was mentioned in the original post but I guess I had to explain what it means to control the line of scrimmage.

Hadenough said:

The market of teams for Dak this year was small and will almost be non existent after this years draft. So 2021 rolls around Jerry will be holding all the cards and can offer Dak even less if wants him. But I would cut him loose. No room exists for a player who wasn't willing to be reasonable.

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I don't think you can automatically say that. There is never a time all 32 teams are perfectly satisfied with the QB they have, so it's not accurate to say the market for Dak will be gone in a year. On top of that, injuries and retirements and failed seasons can create other opportunities.

As for Dak not being reasonable, since we don't know what the 2 sides are asking, how do we know it's on Dak? For example, if Dak is asking for a deal similar to Wentz, even at a slightly higher pay because it is a year later, but Dallas is insisting on controlling Dak for 6 years, would that be Dak's fault?

Hadenough said:

The market of teams for Dak this year was small and will almost be non existent after this years draft. So 2021 rolls around Jerry will be holding all the cards and can offer Dak even less if wants him. But I would cut him loose. No room exists for a player who wasn't willing to be reasonable.

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This statement makes no sense. You have no idea how Dak will perform this year (if there is a season). You don't know what his market was this year, and you won't know what it is next year.

stasheroo said:

Do you have factual evidence of this 'history'?

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It was all over the news.

blindzebra said:

They offered AFTER WENTZ AND GOFF GOT PAID. Next time you try to condescend you might want to know what the hell you are talking about.

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And it was before the 19 season.

stasheroo said:

Do you have factual evidence of this 'history'?

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Just googled it. Came right up.

Seriously, this was big news at the time. How'd you miss it?

Honestly, I just don't care anymore. I like Dak and I think that he has gotten better each year, but to pull this "I need to be the highest paid" crap in a year when Rivers, Brady, and Brees ALL took $25 million to play where they want to play really, REALLY makes Dak look terrible.

At this point, I don't really care if he is on the team or not.

kskboys said:

It was all over the news.

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So no then?

kskboys said:

Just googled it. Came right up.

Seriously, this was big news at the time. How'd you miss it?

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But still keeping it to yourself?

slick325 said:

If they give Prescott a three year deal (2020-2022), Todd will be knocking at the door of the Jones boys after the 2021 season before the final year of the deal. The cost of the position will be reset by Mahomes and likely Russell Wilson by then, so Dallas will have to top those numbers and likely add three years as an extension. So by the end of the 2024 season, the same dance will begin again.

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Exactly, thats why we need to trade this punk and get Cam or Jamis in here.

kskboys said:

And it was before the 19 season.

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The 2019 season started in MARCH, the offer was in SEPTEMBER. So once again, know what you are talking about.

Dump him.

Hadenough said:

The market of teams for Dak this year was small and will almost be non existent after this years draft. So 2021 rolls around Jerry will be holding all the cards and can offer Dak even less if wants him. But I would cut him loose. No room exists for a player who wasn't willing to be reasonable.

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Nice skate. Except . . .

1) The offseason market for QB's was same as most years. Carolina, Miami, Tampa Bay, New England, Cincinnati, San Diego (yes, I know. no I don't care), with San Francisco and Oakland (see San Diego) also sniffing around QBs. That's 25% of the league.

2) I am assuming you are speaking of 2021 as if Dak signed the franchise tag and played in 2020. With that in mind, unless Dallas trades up into the top 4 or 5 this year for a QB, then 2021 will be the same for Dak leverage. Yes, Dallas could just cut him. No, they won't.

Also, keep this in mind: for 2020, six regular season games on the active roster are required to accrue a year. No problem, says the voice in my head. Except, unless the union and NFL comes to an agreement, there may be far fewer games due to COVID-19. The governor of CA has previously stated he did not see any sports played in front of fans remainder of this year. If this admittedly worst case scenario is true, the 2021 draft will be for players that missed an entire year. So, who has more leverage: Dak who has 4 years as an NFL QB, or Joe Blow who at best lost a year, or at worst, backed up or redshirted the year?

And still we will not address the backup QB position. I guess when we cave to our mediocre QB's demands, Jerry can point to backup and say, "Hey, what else we got?"

OmerV said:

I don't think you can automatically say that. There is never a time all 32 teams are perfectly satisfied with the QB they have, so it's not accurate to say the market for Dak will be gone in a year. On top of that, injuries and retirements and failed seasons can create other opportunities.

As for Dak not being reasonable, since we don't know what the 2 sides are asking, how do we know it's on Dak? For example, if Dak is asking for a deal similar to Wentz, even at a slightly higher pay because it is a year later, but Dallas is insisting on controlling Dak for 6 years, would that be Dak's fault?

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I just find it very hard to believe the hold up is length of contract. But even in your scenario I would find it unreasonable for Dak not accept a 6 year deal instead of a 4 year.

Hadenough said:

I just find it very hard to believe the hold up is length of contract. But even in your scenario I would find it unreasonable for Dak not accept a 6 year deal instead of a 4 year.

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The reports seem to suggest term is a bigger obstacle than average annual salary, but obviously we do not know for sure, and, of course, we don't know what the guaranteed amount being discussed is, which is more important than average annual salary. But I get the point on length. If Jerry is still wanting to bind Dak to 2020 prices in 2026, I get why Dak would balk. If 6 years were kind of the norm, that would be different, but 3-4 years seems to be more the norm.

blindzebra said:

BS. The offer they gave is geared to make him be well underpaid once the next wave of signings happened.

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yes, let’s pay him so much that he will never be underpaid, LOL

I would say “stop the ignorance” but I’ve read your posts long enough to know you won’t

CalPolyTechnique said:

Sounds like Dak wants to be a Cowboy for life....as long as that means just 4 years.

I hope that breaks the hearts of the Dak Boyz knowing your hero wants to be here on a limited basis.

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And the Cowboys want him to be a Cowboy for life … as long as that means they pay him for life at 2020 prices.

See how that works both ways? lol

I suspect Dak just wants to be sure he has the chance to make sure every 4 years that he is getting paid in line with current market value. That's not so unreasonable.

But it seems to me the two sides could figure out a way to do a longer deal and build in an escalator tied to market conditions. That way the Cowboys get to control Dak longer than 4 years like they want, and Dak doesn't find himself being grossly underpaid in 4 years.