The tag and the elephant in the room

[Flinger]

Let's say they end up tagging Prescott. And let's add that they do not extend Dalton. And they do not draft a QB.

I don't think they have the cap to keep Dalton with tagging Prescott and they won't know prior to the draft what Prescott is going to do. And taking a QB could just exacerbate the situation.

I said last season no way he doesn't show up for 31.4M and no QB has ever been a no show on a tag. It's just not a good image but this is completely different with Prescott.

No QB ever got an injury like that on a tag. I don't recall any player on a tag getting an injury like that. Think the fans and media would be down on him for being a no show or would they be sympathetic to him since the majority of negative backlash was directed at the front office of the team when they failed to get a deal done last season?

This is new ground and on one hand Prescott and his agent want him to show the NFL that he's fully recovered and hasn't lost anything but another season ending injury and what's his worth now? Plus he gets that "injury prone" attachment.

Sure, 37.7M is a huge chunk o change but weighed against a potential of 150M over just the next 4 years and that requires some thought. Then you've got the question of what they do if he is a no show. Both this year and next.

Would you take the 37.7M this year and take your chances on an injury or worse, a re-injury that would most likely end your career? Keep in mind what's in his mind, that visual of his ankle does not go away easily. At the time, he was thinking he'd played his last down of professional football.

Or would you hold out and take your chances with what happens? Now, you are 31.4M richer than you were last year and still have the endorsements unless they bail on you and why would they? All depends on public opinion but I can see a lot of empathetic sports talking heads and they were 90% against the front office after the last failure to sign him.

I wonder if it's even crossed the Joneses' minds that he might be a no show? They for sure know their dealing with a serious dude in his agent and I could see him recommending that Prescott hold out.

So, what would you do? Both as Dak Prescott and the front office.

Huey & Dewey have shown no ability to build a winning culture, team (Sorry, Huey - that was Jimmy 25 years ago, the jury is in) or, more specifically, defense . What makes anybody think, based upon their proven track record, they can effectively build a winning team - whether Dak makes $40M per year or Unknown QB makes $10M per year?

Pay him / Don't pay him.... makes no difference.

Can Mike McCarthy move the needle through his blueprint for success? TBD and the only hope of changing the culture and players to build a winning program.

 

[CouchCoach]

But that's a different situations. If I'm not mistaken, the condition I stated was, 'No reason he should not be there if he's on the tag." So that assumes that he has signed his tag and is going to get paid.

At some point, you have to be a professional ball player. I mean, so long as the team is not asking him to compromise his health and so long as the player is getting paid, then the team has every right to expect the player to be there. I mean, he has theoretically signed a binding contract to play professional football so he should be there.

I don't even see a problem with that, to be honest Coach.

I am talking about him not signing the tag. I would expect him to show up if he does that.

 

[CouchCoach]

If Dak plays on the tag this year it's safe to say he won't be with the Cowboys next year, right? If you believe that, and only if you believe that, where is the upside for the Cowboys? The Cowboys aren't a QB away from being a contender. Why the hell would Jerry shell out 37.7 million for one year of nothing? There is zero logic in doing that. Dak will either get signed, walk, or get tagged and traded. Playing on the tag shouldn't be an option unless Jerry is delusional.

I do believe that, if the tag stays I don't think he even considers an offer form the Cowboys. And they can't tie this to the injury because that happened on the tag.

When WFT tagged Cousins the 2nd time, they knew that was it. A team really is messing with a player's pride and respect if they tag any player a second time. I think the first tag is stupid, you can assume how I feel about the 2nd one.

The question about if they can tag and trade him is still a question because with this agent, I think that has to be stipulated up front or he doesn't sign the tag. The Joneses aren't smart enough to sneak anything past Prescott and sure as hell his agent. If they try and trade him, the other team ahs to be able to do what the Cowboys failed to do and that real question still remains, what is the value of Dak Prescott to any team?

 

[CouchCoach]

This whole tag thing is a joke. I recall most of the forum was down on Le'Veon Bell for not signing that tag and losing that money when the guy was merely standing up for himself when he was showing it is not all about the money. He was willing to walk that money because of what the Steelers had done with the QB and WR and he accounted for the highest % of his offense in the NFL, the offense was the offense because of him and he proved that by sitting out.

Prescott watched the front office deal with Lawrence, Elliott, Cooper and Smith and he's supposed to give some team discount? You can spin the first 4.5 games anyway you want but Prescott was the best player on the team and better than the whole defense.

Stop making comparisons with other teams and make them within this team because that's what his agent is doing. That's what Bell's agent did. How critical was Bell to the Steelers? The most critical player in the NFL.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I am talking about him not signing the tag. I would expect him to show up if he does that.

So we are in agreement. I am obviously not talking about Dak showing up if he is an FA or even holding out. I think it would be wise for him to show up, even if he is holding out but, I would not expect it. I would, in fact, expect him not to.

 

[Diehardblues]

I do believe that, if the tag stays I don't think he even considers an offer form the Cowboys. And they can't tie this to the injury because that happened on the tag.

When WFT tagged Cousins the 2nd time, they knew that was it. A team really is messing with a player's pride and respect if they tag any player a second time. I think the first tag is stupid, you can assume how I feel about the 2nd one.

The question about if they can tag and trade him is still a question because with this agent, I think that has to be stipulated up front or he doesn't sign the tag. The Joneses aren't smart enough to sneak anything past Prescott and sure as hell his agent. If they try and trade him, the other team ahs to be able to do what the Cowboys failed to do and that real question still remains, what is the value of Dak Prescott to any team?

Not sure why anyone would trade for him after he signs the tag . Just wait until next year and he’ll be a FA.

 

[Diehardblues]

So we are in agreement. I am obviously not talking about Dak showing up if he is an FA or even holding out. I think it would be wise for him to show up, even if he is holding out but, I would not expect it. I would, in fact, expect him not to.

Yea, I’d expect Dak to play if he signs the Tag. But I’d expect this will be it. 2021 last season in Dallas.

 

[Diehardblues]

This whole tag thing is a joke. I recall most of the forum was down on Le'Veon Bell for not signing that tag and losing that money when the guy was merely standing up for himself when he was showing it is not all about the money. He was willing to walk that money because of what the Steelers had done with the QB and WR and he accounted for the highest % of his offense in the NFL, the offense was the offense because of him and he proved that by sitting out.

Prescott watched the front office deal with Lawrence, Elliott, Cooper and Smith and he's supposed to give some team discount? You can spin the first 4.5 games anyway you want but Prescott was the best player on the team and better than the whole defense.

Stop making comparisons with other teams and make them within this team because that's what his agent is doing. That's what Bell's agent did. How critical was Bell to the Steelers? The most critical player in the NFL.

Yep . If Dak wasn’t the MVP for us. Who was?

But your spot on Coach. We pay everyone but our QB. Brilliant ownership. Lol

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Yea, I’d expect Dak to play if he signs the Tag. But I’d expect this will be it. 2021 last season in Dallas.

Team just needs to move him. Nobody wants to hear that but the writing has been on the wall since the day he signed with France. The plan never included signing Dak to a record deal. That was never the plan that Jerry had IMO. Jerry wanted a cheaper option and the ability to build a team around that. That's been Jerry's idea since the days of Quincy Carter. Taking Dak and putting him in the right situation worked so long as Dak didn't cost too much. Once that played out with France, the jig was essentially up IMO.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Not sure why anyone would trade for him after he signs the tag . Just wait until next year and he’ll be a FA.

Teams would do that because they can't be sure they will win a bakeoff once Dak is an FA. If you can trade for him now and get him signed, that saves you from losing out next year and at the very least, probably saves you a few million with him on his contract demands a year from now.

 

[Diehardblues]

Teams would do that because they can't be sure they will win a bakeoff once Dak is an FA. If you can trade for him now and get him signed, that saves you from losing out next year and at the very least, probably saves you a few million with him on his contract demands a year from now.

I guess it depends how much you have to give up in a trade. But I wouldn’t give up much versus paying a little more in FA.

 

[Diehardblues]

Team just needs to move him. Nobody wants to hear that but the writing has been on the wall since the day he signed with France. The plan never included signing Dak to a record deal. That was never the plan that Jerry had IMO. Jerry wanted a cheaper option and the ability to build a team around that. That's been Jerry's idea since the days of Quincy Carter. Taking Dak and putting him in the right situation worked so long as Dak didn't cost too much. Once that played out with France, the jig was essentially up IMO.

Maybe you’re right. But how can we trust that the cheaper option is right for Dak. Do we trust our ownerships evaluation? Or are they simply playing public perception watching where the pendulum swings?

We need real football people making these decisions. Not promoters.

 

[CouchCoach]

Not sure why anyone would trade for him after he signs the tag . Just wait until next year and he’ll be a FA.

But then a team could be in a bidding war.

 

[CouchCoach]

So we are in agreement. I am obviously not talking about Dak showing up if he is an FA or even holding out. I think it would be wise for him to show up, even if he is holding out but, I would not expect it. I would, in fact, expect him not to.

What I would like to know is that conversation between the Joneses and France about the tag. I wonder if France has even hinted at a no show?

I must say, a tag and a refusal to sign would definitely make the Cowboys deserving of page 1 as that would be a first for a QB. If that's post draft, that's really hard ball from Prescott's camp, unless they warned them up front.

However, I do think it's a moot point because he will sign. I believe him when he said he was going to sign last go around. I think he stayed a little long in the stare down as he was being counseled by his agent.

But if they're tagging him, does whether he's signed it or not matter for the draft? I think they have to draft his replacement for 2022 and maybe even 2021.

There are a lot of teams studying how not to get your butt in a QB crack on this one.

 

[erod]

They have to rework several contracts just to tag Dak.

If you start hearing about contracts being reworked - Amari, Zeke, Martin, etc - then that likely means the tag is coming.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I guess it depends how much you have to give up in a trade. But I wouldn’t give up much versus paying a little more in FA.

But what's a little more? If we understand what is being reported, there are 5 to 7 teams out there who will be in the market for a QB. If you have that number of teams bidding for a QB, it's not going to be a little bit. It's going to be a lot. 38 AAV can become 45 AAV in a blink with even one team driving the price but I understand your view point.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Maybe you’re right. But how can we trust that the cheaper option is right for Dak. Do we trust our ownerships evaluation? Or are they simply playing public perception watching where the pendulum swings?

We need real football people making these decisions. Not promoters.

Trusting our Ownership is beside the point. They are going to do what they are going to do. I'm just speaking on what I see. For all I know, none of what I say will happen. But it doesn't mean it shouldn't.

 

[csirl]

Zero chance Dak doesnt sign the tag if its offered. If he doesnt want to or cant, he can go on IR and collect the lot for nothing. He's not turning down free money.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

What I would like to know is that conversation between the Joneses and France about the tag. I wonder if France has even hinted at a no show?

I must say, a tag and a refusal to sign would definitely make the Cowboys deserving of page 1 as that would be a first for a QB. If that's post draft, that's really hard ball from Prescott's camp, unless they warned them up front.

However, I do think it's a moot point because he will sign. I believe him when he said he was going to sign last go around. I think he stayed a little long in the stare down as he was being counseled by his agent.

But if they're tagging him, does whether he's signed it or not matter for the draft? I think they have to draft his replacement for 2022 and maybe even 2021.

There are a lot of teams studying how not to get your butt in a QB crack on this one.

Well, I guess I am probably in the minority here. I don't believe that this situation is about what the Cowboys or Jerry did or didn't do. I believe that this negotiation was destined to end up here the minute Dak hired France. Jerry knows Todd France well. Jerry knew exactly how this was going to go IMO. This was coming the minute that decision was made by Dak. What's more, any team that has a player who is represented by that guy will eventually be in this same situation. That's how he does business and everybody knows it.

 

[Diehardblues]

Trusting our Ownership is beside the point. They are going to do what they are going to do. I'm just speaking on what I see. For all I know, none of what I say will happen. But it doesn't mean it shouldn't.

I understand but I’m only interested in what our ownership does. What we think isn’t relevant. Only what we think they will do. That’s what I base my thoughts on.