While the Cowboys are reportedly at an “impasse” in negotiations with pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, the team apparently hasn’t even gotten that far with Dak Prescott nor Amari Cooper. Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram writes that the organization hasn’t started contract negotiations with the quarterback or wideout.
Both Prescott and Cooper are entering the final year of their contracts. As Hill notes, the two players are signed for 2019, and with their agents focused on their current free agent clients, there hasn’t been a particular rush to start negotiating. In fact, a source tells Hill that we may not seen either player signed to an extension until after the draft or during OTAs.
Either way, as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com points out, it won’t be particularly easy to sign either player, especially when you consider the Cowboys’ current standoff with Lawrence. Prescott or Cooper could leverage the franchise tag, similar to what Lawrence is currently going through. If one of the two offensive players signs an extension, that would seemingly boost the leverage of their unsigned teammate. Florio notes that running back Ezekiel Elliott could also push for a new deal.
It’s clearly a slippery slope for the Cowboys, but vice president Stephen Jones made it clear that none of the hypothetical extensions are dependent on each other.
“Each negotiation is in its own place,” Jones said. “If we could get Dak done today, we would. If we could get Amari Cooper done today, we would. I wouldn’t necessarily say one has to come before the other. We’ll just see how each of those negotiations proceed.”
Following a midseason trade to Dallas, Cooper recaptured the potential he had shown during his first two years in the league. In nine starts, the wideout hauled in 53 receptions for 725 yards and six touchdowns. We heard earlier this week that the Cowboys were ready to discuss an extension with the receiver. Meanwhile, Prescott had another solid season in 2018, finishing with a career-high 3,885 passing yards to go along with 22 touchdowns vs. eight interceptions. We heard earlier this month that the team had met with the quarterback’s agent, but we can probably assume that no formal negotiations took place.
Let Prescott go. He’s wasting Zekes prime
In favor of…?
Anyone that could hit the broad side of a barn, shouldn’t pay a player 20M plus to hand Zeke the ball
He’s also wasting the O-Lines prime and the Defense prime. It’s a shame, this team has enough talent to win a SB but with this QB-HC combo we will continue to be just above avg.
Agree. Cowboys will never win a Super Bowl with Dak at the helm. Far too inaccurate. I was at the playoff game in Los Angeles sitting in the end zone which gave me a good perspective. Dak predominantly three to his first read and the receivers usually had to break stride, contort, dive or leap to haul in his passes. Rams single covered receivers all over the field, plugged the run gaps and dared cowboys to beat them through the air. Dak simply couldn’t do it.
As a Raider fan this is just interesting to see. When the Cowboys traded for Cooper they basically gave the Raiders a 1st round pick to inherit the exact same qb/de/wr salary cap problem the Raiders decided not to have. Only exception being Mack is an easier decision to make as far as paying then Lawrence
So it boils down to having some salary problems along with playoff caliber talent or having no salary problems and a team with no playoff potential. A slam dunk for the Cowboys when looked at from that perspective.
Depends on your faith in a highly paid core of Dak/Cooper/Lawrence. Seems like some Cowboy fans aren’t so sure. And wait until they are under contract and the team has to make adjustments before you are so sure. Dak is going to want more than he is probably worth. Cooper still looked inconsistent, although admittedly better in Dallas. And Mack is easily better than Lawrence. So basically, let’s wait and see how all these contracts play out and come together. So excited for a playoff caliber team. How the mighty have fallen in Dallas. I should know, we can sense our own.
I have faith that success is more likely for those who are willing to take risks than those who simply want to curl up into a fetal position and play it safe…but we will have to wait and see as you said.