Here's Why the Cowboys Must Prioritize Re-Signing Amari Cooper Before Dak Prescott

It's widely expected that the Dallas Cowboys extending Dak Prescott is the team's number one priority this offseason, but we're not so sure that's the correct course of action.

Now we aren't saying that Dallas shouldn't lock Prescott down. He's proven that he's worth a franchise quarterback's salary. Whether he's valuable enough to reportedly turn down a $33 million offer, however, is an entirely different story.

What does this tell us? That the Cowboys should prioritize inking Amari Cooper to an extension. Get that done first, give Dak the franchise tag, and work out a deal before the deadline. The team can't afford having both of these guys (or even one for that matter) hit free agency. When you think about it, the chances of a team signing Cooper immediately in free agency is MUCH more likely than a team dumping close to $40 million per season on Dak.

By no means should Prescott be awarded for his stubbornness, even though he likes to think he's negotiating with Dallas. The 26-year-old is simply holding out until the team's brass meets his desired sum.

Cooper, on the other hand, hasn't caused any sort of raucous. More importantly, he's the player most responsible for Prescott's ascension to a supposed elite quarterback. Go look at Dak's numbers before the Cowboys rescued Cooper from Oakland. They're literally night and day.

Dallas could sign Prescott and subsequently place the franchise tag on Cooper, but that would only lessen the organization's chances of signing him next offseason, where a flood of teams will be in the market for him. The lack of a guarantee to re-sign him after next campaign only presses the issue on the Cowboys need to win in 2020. Why create that burden?

Signing Cooper first would likely mean that Dallas saves a ton of money on Prescott's contract. Do we really think that Prescott would walk if the Cowboys inked his superstar receiver to a deal before him?

We seriously doubt it.

Franchise-tagging Prescott in order to extend Cooper isn't that bizarre. In fact, it could go down as Dallas' smartest move in quite some time.