Dak Prescott's Adjusted Franchise Tag Will Cost the Cowboys Even More Money in 2020

Dak Prescott hasn't come close to agreeing to terms on a contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. The latest NFL buzz suggests that narrative has changed in the last two weeks, but perhaps there's been a method to Prescott's madness in terms of his reported objections.

Now that the restricted free agent deadline has passed, his $26.82 million exclusive franchise tag has been reevaluated. Per insider Ian Rapoport, that figure is now set at a whopping $31.40 million, averaging together the current top five salaries at his position, once everything settled.

Of course, nothing is set in stone just yet. The Cowboys could still ink Prescott to an extension before the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players. Assuming that the average annual value on that deal is (at most) a few million more than $31.40, there isn't much of a reason to delay negotiations further. However, any hope Dallas had of lowballing Prescott has surely evaporate -- the tag figure proves his pie-in-the-sky ask wasn't that profoundly wild after all.

If the sum had stayed at or around $26 million, it would've been understandable if Dallas hadn't pressed the issue to get a deal done this offseason and decided to simply re-enter negotiations next year.

Now, however, it's an entirely different story. Prescott is set to pocket $31 million and he still doesn't plan on participating in the Cowboys' virtual offseason program. In other words, this recalculation gives the two-time Pro Bowler considerable leverage.

You have to think that Prescott's agents urged him to take this route early on in negotiations.