Stephen Jones: Cowboys 'Absolutely' Won't Revoke Dak Prescott's Franchise Tag
May 9, 2020
The Dallas Cowboys have no intention of letting Dak Prescott become a free agent at any point this offseason.
Speaking to Mike Florio on the #PFTPM podcast, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team won't rescind or revoke Prescott's franchise tag:
"Dak's our quarterback for the future. Obviously, this hasn't been the easiest thing. As Jerry says, 'As money gets bigger, deals get harder.' Certainly, we're talking a significant amount of money here which he so deserves. Absolutely not. Dak's going to be our quarterback this year. He's our quarterback for the future. We think the world of him. He represents our franchise in a very positive way in terms of what we want as a leader of our team. He's just an outstanding man, and we would never rescind the franchise tag."
There was no indication the Cowboys were considering pulling Prescott's franchise tag, but the collective bargaining agreement does give teams the right to do it.
The Carolina Panthers rescinded Josh Norman's franchise tag in April 2016, with then-general manager Dave Gettleman saying in a statement it became clear the two sides wouldn't be able to agree on a long-term deal.
Norman immediately became an unrestricted free agent and later signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Washington Redskins.
The Cowboys find themselves in a unique predicament with Prescott, who is guaranteed $31.4 million if he plays under the franchise tag in 2020. Florio noted a second franchise tag for Prescott next year would be worth $37.68 million, putting his two-year salary around $69 million.
That Dallas signed a veteran backup with extensive starting experience by signing Andy Dalton to a one-year contract on May 2 added extra intrigue to the situation.
Per Sports Illustrated's Mike Fisher, the Cowboys and Prescott are negotiating a deal worth an average of $35 million per year with $106 million in guaranteed money.
Prescott is a two-time Pro Bowler and threw for a career-high 4,902 yards with 30 touchdowns last season.