Cowboys' Stephen Jones Says Activity in Dak Prescott Contract Talks is 'Non-Existent'

Remember when reports out of Dallas Cowboys HQ suggested that contract negotiations were "heating up" between the team and quarterback Dak Prescott?Well, that's not the case.

Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones revealed on Monday that talks between both parties have been "non-existent." In fact, both the Cowboys and Prescott haven't discussed a new deal since... September??

Stephen Jones says they’ve had “low” to “non-existent” activity on negotating Dak Prescott’s new contract. They last talked in September and negotiations stopped when “they were where they were and we were done where we were.”Says nothing acrimonious though and still their guy.
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) February 24, 2020

Things only got murkier when Jones revealed that the team "may" talk to Prescott and his agent at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week.

Notably, the team won't enter discussions with Prescott or fellow free agent Amari Cooper until the NFL and the players' union finalize a new collective bargaining agreement.

Stephen Jones said no contract with QB Dak Prescott or WR Amari Cooper will be agreed upon until CBA rules for the 2020 league year are decided. Cowboys met with Cooper and his agent Chafie Fields at Super Bowl in Miami. “Very upbeat” conversation.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) February 24, 2020

At first glance, it seems like the Cowboys are primed to enter yet another monetary standoff with a star offensive player, much like they did last summer with running back Ezekiel Elliott. For his part, Jones attempted to ease Cowboys fans' concerns by insisting it's a team priority to agree to a new contract without using the franchise or transition tag.

Stephen Jones declined to state which franchise tag Cowboys will use on Dak Prescott — exclusive vs. non-exclusive — if no extension reached by March 12 tag deadline. “Our goal is to get it done with Dak. I know he wants to be here. We want him to be here long-term. He’s our guy”
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) February 24, 2020

With under three weeks before the tag deadline, the Cowboys need to speed up the process and ensure that Prescott is locked in for the foreseeable future. If not, they could enter an ugly situation at the start of the new league year.