Cowboys Rumors: Latest on Dak Prescott's Contract, Jamal Adams Trade Buzz

No position is more important in today's NFL than quarterback, and the Dallas Cowboys have a good one in Dak Prescott. The two-time Pro Bowler is coming off a 4,902-yard season and should be in line for another strong campaign with rookie wideout CeeDee Lamb joining his arsenal.

The issue is that Dallas doesn't have Prescott signed to a long-term deal.

The good news is that it appears the Cowboys won't have to worry about losing Prescott this season.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Prescott is expected to sign his franchise tender on Monday:

If Prescott does sign his tender, it will mean that he's comfortable playing on a one-year deal and won't hold out during camp and/or into the regular season. It also means that Dallas won't have to rely on veteran Andy Dalton to start in Week 1.

The tricky part now will be locking up Prescott for the long-term. The two sides have not yet been able to reach an agreement, though Dallas has made a generous offer, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News:

"As it stands, the Cowboys offered Prescott one of the largest contracts in league history. Sources said the Cowboys offer to Prescott gives him more guaranteed money than what the Los Angeles Rams Jared Goff received ($110 million) and is just second in average salary to Seattle's Russell Wilson ($35 million). Wilson has the highest average salary for a quarterback in the NFL and Goff has the most guaranteed money."

According to Watkins, the holdup has been about the length of the deal. Dallas is reportedly looking for a five-year contract, while Prescott wants a four-year deal. As Watkins pointed out, Goff and Wilson both signed four-year extensions.

If Prescott plays the 2020 season on the franchise tag, Dallas may have an easier time accepting a four-year contract next offseason, as he'll then be under team control for the desired five-year period. However, finding a compromise and getting a long-term deal done now would be ideal.

If the Cowboys wait until 2021, they may face the prospect of quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes resetting the bar.

The Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson reported that Watson could be looking at a deal in the $40-42 million range annually.

Could the Cowboys Trade for Jamal Adams?

Dallas could soon have Prescott back under contract. It could potentially also add a Pro Bowl safety to the other side of the ball before the start of the regular season.

The New York Jets' Jamal Adams recently requested permission to seek a trade, and the Dallas Cowboys are on his list of preferred destinations, per Schefter:

However, making a deal for Adams could be just as difficult as locking up Prescott, if not more so. For starters, the trade itself isn't going to be cheap. Michael Irvin told 105.3 The Fan last month that New York is seeking a first- and a third-round draft pick in exchange for Adams.

While the safety's public demand for a trade may lower the asking price some, it won't lower it significantly.

Would Dallas be willing to pay such a steep trade price? Possibly. However, Adams is going to be expensive on the back end of a trade as well.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Adams is looking for a contract extension worth at least $20 million per year:

Adams probably wouldn't agree to a trade without a long-term deal, so this could become the sticking point. A $20 million contract is over the rate for a box safety, and it would be tough for Dallas to swallow.

With Prescott soon to (hopefully) get a contract extension and with Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper recently signing lucrative long-term deals, adding a market-setting deal for Adams to the mix could hamstring the Cowboys financially.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Dallas won't make a play for Adams. If Jerry Jones the owner wants Adams on his roster, Jerry Jones the GM will try to make it happen.