The Dallas Cowboys can no longer look at contract negotiations between Dak Prescott and his representatives as anything other than a hostage standoff. Prescott holds all of the power now and can bunker down while waiting for Jerry Jones and the rest of the Cowboys brass to meet his demands.
The Dallas Cowboys have no one to blame but themselves for this fiasco. This is the third consecutive offseason they will attempt to come to terms with Dak Prescott on a long-term extension, however, this year control of the situation shifts heavily in the favor of Prescott and his reps.
This is extremely bad news for the Dallas Cowboys. Until they can figure out exactly what to do with No. 4 any moves they might want to make in free agency pretty much have to be put on hold. They really can't afford to sign any free agents until they figure out how they are going to retain Prescott for at the very least the 2021 season.
Whether it's on a long-term extension or franchise tag, retaining Dak Prescott is going to be expensive and deplete the majority of the Dallas Cowboys 2021 salary-cap space. The longer this situation drags on the harder it is going to become to make any kind of moves in free agency. Given how this has played out in the past things could turn ugly.
I'm pretty positive Dak has been paying close attention to what's been going on around the NFL recently. With Matt Stafford and Deshaun Watson requesting trades from their given teams and the power they hold because of the position they play, he knows he has the Cowboys over a barrel right now.
Prescott also knows just how important he is to the organization after seeing the way the 2020 season played out after he sustained his season-ending ankle injury. It's rare to see a player hold as much power as Dak does now. These situations typically heavily favor NFL owners, but the script has been flipped this go around.
With that in mind, Dak can remain patient and let the Cowboys come to him. He knows he's going to get paid one way or another, even if that isn't in Dallas. Again, that's power professional athletes rarely have in these types of situations.
Sadly, the Dallas Cowboys have created a hostage situation of their own doing and are at the mercy of Dak Prescott as to how well they survive. The quicker this is resolved the better because the future of the organization for not only the 2021 season but beyond hangs in the balance. It's a little scary when you think about it.
