Former Agent: "Dallas Cowboys will have sticker shock" with Dak Prescott
At this point, who knows? As we get closer and closer to March 9th, the deadline to franchise tag players, the uncertainty surrounding Dak Prescott's future keeps on growing. If the Dallas Cowboys end up tagging him, Dak has a clear path toward free agency in 2022. And if he wants to, he can explore […]
At this point, who knows? As we get closer and closer to March 9th, the deadline to franchise tag players, the uncertainty surrounding Dak Prescott's future keeps on growing. If the Dallas Cowboys end up tagging him, Dak has a clear path toward free agency in 2022. And if he wants to, he can explore what it's like to be a free agent quarterback in his prime.
Kirk Cousins did this in 2018 and ended up with a fully-guaranteed contract worth $84M, averaging $28M per year. At that point, that was the highest average annual salary in NFL history. You've probably heard it again and again by now, but there's a reason for that.
Dak Prescott knows this. Dak's agent Todd France knows this. This is why CBS' salary cap expert Joel Corry thinks a deal won't get done. Corry, a former sports agent himself, said on 105.3 The Fan he thinks the Cowboys will have "sticker shock," which Merriam-Webster defines as "astonishment and dismay experienced on being informed of a product's unexpectedly high price."
Truth be told, it might be true. While one would expect the Dallas Cowboys to know what Prescott's camp has in mind, the mere fact that Dak remains unsigned is enough reason to be concerned.
When negotiations heat up, Prescott might be asking for a number well above the $40M average per year mark many expect. Or it might be about him potentially asking for a three-year deal. After all, Dak wanted four years back in 2020 and was forced to play under the tag. In fact, contract length was reportedly the biggest issue in negotiations between the Cowboys and Dak.
Would it surprise anyone that he now asks for a three-year contract? In an article for CBS, Joel Corry wrote about Dak's potential position on contract length:
"If representing Prescott, I would be adamant about only signing a three-year deal with a second franchise tag imminent. My position would be Prescott wanted to be under contract through the 2023 season once his rookie contract expired. Insisting on a three-year deal after playing under a franchise tag in 2020 would be consistent with this thinking."
Of course, there are reasons to be optimistic about the deal getting done soon. Both parties can get it done in a variety of ways. While we usually just discuss average value per year and contract length, there are plenty of other things to negotiate. For instance, the Cowboys will likely give Prescott a hefty signing bonus in order to help the team's salary cap situation.
But there are not many reasons to believe Joel Corry is exaggerating when he says the Cowboys will have sticker shock. Jerry Jones himself has said Dak Prescott has all the leverage. If he wishes to capitalize on it, it'll take the Cowboys to give in in just about everything during these negotiations.
And it's all about to heat up with March 9th less than two weeks away.
Featured Image Via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
