Cowboys Rumors: Latest Buzz on Phillip Dorsett Interest, Dak Prescott, More

The Dallas Cowboys secured the top spot on their wide receiver depth chart by re-signing Amari Cooper to a long-term deal at the start of free agency.

Which players land behind Cooper have yet to be determined, as the Cowboys are trying to find a replacement for Randall Cobb, who signed with the Houston Texans.

According to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, "the Cowboys have some interest in Phillip Dorsett." Watkins also mentioned any possible deal is "all about the price." The good news for the Cowboys is Dorsett carries playoff experience and could come at a relatively cheap cost.

If Dallas gets its way, Dak Prescott will be throwing balls to Cooper and anyone else on the depth chart for years to come. But the quarterback is only under contract through 2020 on the franchise tag given the two parties failed to find a solution during a drawn-out process.

Latest Cowboys Buzz

Phillip Dorsett

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

There are ample wide receiver options remaining on the free-agent market, but Dorsett is one of the few who could be signed at a decent value.

In 2019, he earned just over $2.5 million with the New England Patriots, and he has never made more than $3 million in a single season.

Dorsett likely does not have leverage to ask for more than what he received last season since he had 29 receptions for 397 yards.

His yardage total would have been the sixth-best on the 2019 Cowboys roster, which featured a pair of 1,000-yard wideouts in Cooper and Michael Gallup. If he signs with Dallas, Dorsett would be a complementary piece that could develop into a solid third option for Prescott.

Since Dallas needs someone to fill the third spot on the wide receiver depth chart, it likely will not pursue Robby Anderson, who was a primary target for the New York Jets last season. Breshad Perriman, who made $4 million in 2019 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could be deemed a bit too expensive as the Cowboys try to work within the salary cap.

If they do not add a wide receiver in free agency, the Cowboys could take one in the 2020 NFL draft, in which they have the No. 17 overall pick.

Dak Prescott

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

Prescott is scheduled to make $30,144,000 under the franchise tag in 2020.

That can only be viewed as a temporary solution for the Cowboys, who would likely prefer to have the 26-year-old on the roster for quite some time.

Prescott earned career bests in passing yards, touchdown passes and completions in 2019. While the lack of long-term security could concern some players, Prescott might be in position to benefit from the system and maximize his profit, as ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert noted:

"If nothing else, the tag puts Prescott one year closer to testing his true value on the open market. If he wanted to, he could follow in the footsteps of Kirk Cousins by playing under a tag in 2020 and 2021 -- earning close to $70 million in those two years -- and then assume that a third tag in 2022 would be cap-prohibitive."

If he continues to play at a high level, Prescott should command a large sum, no matter what type of deal he is on. The franchise tag puts Prescott sixth among quarterbacks on the total earnings chart for the 2020 campaign. Russell Wilson tops that list with a deal that is split between base salary and a large signing bonus.

Were Prescott to put up another 4,000-yard season, he would bring in a large amount for the 2021 campaign and beyond. And with Cooper and Gallup back, plus the option to add a third quality receiver, the potential for eye-popping numbers is high.

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