Dak Prescott Rumors: Latest on Contract Negotiations With Cowboys

Despite a decent amount of rumored contact, the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott do not have a contract in place for the 2020 season and beyond.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler provided the latest update on the situation Saturday, and he noted the franchise tag could be a possibility:

"Dallas made a second contract offer in early March. I'm told since then, there's been minimal contact between the two, which is a bit of a concern. This appears headed for the franchise tag. Sunday is big because assuming the CBA passes the Cowboys will know exactly how much money they can spend and they can try to hammer out a deal over the next 24 hours."

The latest submission by the Cowboys comes after a few reports that the team increased their offer to the quarterback.

ESPN's Todd Archer reported the NFC East side sent in a new proposal to Prescott that was valued closer to the $33.5 million per year Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff make.

NFL Network's Jane Slater provided additional details into what the negotiations look like at the moment:

"Dak Prescott and his camp have met with the Cowboys in recent weeks and I'm told while they don't want to get into the specifics of it that guarantee has gone up a little bit. The sticking point still seems to be the years of that contract. He is leaning more toward a four-year deal. Of course, the Cowboys want a lengthier deal, so the guarantee has gone up a little bit and I'm told that this deal, as it sits, is more than Jared Goff's."

Getting a deal done with their franchise quarterback seems like the ideal solution for the Cowboys, who have benefited from Prescott's play since 2015.

The Mississippi State product has four straight 3,000-yard seasons to go along with 97 career touchdowns and 36 interceptions. Having that type of security at the position is huge for the Cowboys as they attempt to build more around Prescott in the Mike McCarthy era.

From Prescott's perspective, the numbers he put up on the field should dictate a pay increase that puts him near some of the league's best at the position.

He proved his worth even more during the 2019 campaign, when he produced a career high of 4,902 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. Prescott's camp could use those numbers during negotiations because it states how valuable he can be to the franchise.

While putting the franchise tag on Prescott may not seem like the ideal situation for the Cowboys, it may have to be used if negotiations do not improve. In that situation, the Cowboys could benefit from Prescott's services and have a longer period of time to hammer out a long-term contract.

Although both parties may not be on the same page, it would benefit both to come to an agreement to try to propel the franchise under a new coach.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.