For what seems like the millionth time since the 2019 offseason, a member of the Dallas Cowboys front office reiterated their commitment to getting Dak Prescott signed to a long-term deal. Speaking to 105.3 The Fan, it was Stephen Jones' turn to express that commitment.
#Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on @1053thefan on Dalton/Dak: “Obviously, it has no bearing on Dak. Dak is the quarterback of our franchise now, and for many years to come. We've gotta get his contract—we've gotta get over that hurdle. But we'll do it, it'll ultimately get done.”
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) May 6, 2020
While most a lot of the NFL world continues to speculate about what the signing of Andy Dalton means for the negotiations between the Dallas Cowboys front office and Dak Prescott's representatives, many have argued the Cowboys hold more leverage in the talks. The reality is, Andy Dalton's signing doesn't change anything. Stephen Jones admitted as much.
Andy Dalton is an excellent backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys to have as an insurance policy if Prescott were to get injured. And that's all that he is. Any thought that Dalton is here to put pressure on the negotiations isn't the reality of the situation. Dalton himself understands his place in the Dallas Cowboys quarterback room.
Until a deal gets finalized, this will continue to carry the headlines in the NFL. Of course, that's no problem for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office. Every day the NFL media will be talking about these negotiations, which means everyday people are talking about the Cowboys. In a time when there isn't anything else to talk about in the sporting world, the Dallas Cowboys and the negotiations with their franchise quarterback will continue to carry the news cycle until it's finally resolved.
Currently, there isn't a timeline for teams to return to their practice facilities and begin offseason workouts. Of course, teams are reportedly holding “virtual workouts,” but they won't carry the same weight as live practices. And until Dak Prescott is missing live practices in an attempt to get a new contract, then he's not missing anything.
The Cowboys offense will largely remain the same, with some new wrinkles from Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore and Head Coach Mike McCarthy. So, the learning curve for Prescott this offseason isn't as large as it might otherwise be if he were working with a new coordinator.
There hasn't been any urgency from either side of the negotiation to get anything done. Without a timeline for offseason workouts and training camp, there's no urgency to get Prescott on the field, since the offense isn't getting on the field.
The real deadline to get a long-term deal done has always been the July 15th Franchise Tag deadline. If there isn't a long-term deal done by July 15th, Dak Prescott will either have to sign his franchise tag and play on another one-year contract or sit out 2020 and hope for a long-term deal in the 2021 offseason.
It's time to believe what the front office is saying. They want to get a deal done. Dak Prescott wants to get a deal done. Eventually, they'll settle on a long-term contract, and I imagine it'll happen at some point in the next two months.
If the previous negotiations of DeMarcus Lawrence, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper are any indication, this is going to continue to drag out until it needs to get done. Lawrence's deal got done at the last possible moment to allow him to have surgery and be available for the start of the 2019 season. Ezekiel Elliott held out of training camp and nearly the entire preseason, not getting his deal finalized until the week before week one. Amari Cooper was allowed to explore options in the unofficial part of free agency, meeting with the Washington Redskins before opting to stay with the Dallas Cowboys.
A deal will be done. Just like both sides of the negotiation table, it's essential to remain patient as the Dallas Cowboys look to lock up their franchise quarterback. It's going to happen. It's just a matter of time.
