The Cowboys and Dak Prescott failed to reach a long-term deal, as the quarterback is one of a record 12 NFL players who will play on the franchise tag in 2020.
The Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term deal by Wednesday’s deadline, which means the quarterback will play the 2020 NFL season on the $31.4 million exclusive franchise tag.
Prescott joins 11 other NFL players who will play on the franchise tag in 2020, including Cincinnati’s A. J. Green, Denver’s Justin Simmons, Jacksonville’s Yannick Ngakoue, New England’s Joe Thuney, Washington’s Brandon Scherff, L. A. Chargers’ Hunter Henry, Pittsburgh’s Bud Dupree, New York Giants’Leonard Williams, Minnesota’s Anthony Harris, Baltimore’s Matthew Judon and Tampa Bay’s Shaquil Barrett.
A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Tennessee’s Derrick Henry reached a four-year, $50 million deal with the Titans that includes $25.5 million guaranteed — the only player on the franchise tag to agree to a long-term deal Wednesday. The Chiefs’ Chris Jones agreed to a four-year contract on Tuesday.
Green and Ngakoue were the only players who had not signed their franchise tenders.
Wednesday’s deadline did not apply to Arizona’s Kenyan Drake, who was the only player designated under the transition tag. He is permitted to negotiate with the Cardinals throughout the season.
Since the franchise tag was implemented in 1993, the most players to play a full season under the tag is nine (in 2009 and 2012), according to ESPN Stats & Information.
The Cowboys’ organization and Prescott’s agent, Todd France, opened negotiations on a multiyear agreement in spring 2019 but were unable to close the gap to make sure the Cowboys have their quarterback in place beyond 2020.
The sides did not have any substantive negotiations since March, when sources said the Cowboys put out an offer worth $34.5 million a year, which would have been the second-highest average for a quarterback behind Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, and a guarantee on par with the $110 million given to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff.
Prescott guaranteed on June 22, when he signed the tender, that he’d be at the start of training camp.
