New CBA Deadline Could Prove Disastrous for Cowboys' Dak Prescott Deal
By Scott Rogust
While everyone is looking forward to the NFL Scouting Combine, they can't help but keep an eye on the current collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the league and the Players Association. The team's representatives in the NFLPA have agreed to push the league's offer to a player-wide vote, but it's unknown if it will be agreed upon.
This has done nothing but make matters that much more difficult for the Dallas Cowboys.
Per @calvinwatkins, the #Cowboys won’t engage in serious contract talks with QB Dak Prescott or WR Amari Cooper until they have clarity on the CBA. There's also an expectation that Sean Lee will be back in 2020, not as much optimism for Jason Witten returning.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) February 26, 2020
Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones is currently in Indianapolis with head coach Mike McCarthy for the Scouting Combine. The majority of media questions regarded the ongoing negotiations with Dak Prescott. Jones raised eyebrows by saying the team hasn't had contract talks with Prescott since September, and won't do so until they receive clarity on the new CBA.
Given how complicated the CBA process is, it's very likely that the new offer will be ratified until a few weeks down the line, especially if there isn't universal approval from the players. To make matters even more cloudy, the franchise tag deadline is March 12, which is over two weeks away.
The problem with the CBA issues as it relates to the #Cowboys:
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) February 26, 2020
It's creates a pause in OFFICIAL talks to Dak Prescott, which then pauses Amari Cooper and (to a lesser but still important degree) Byron Jones.
The team thought they'd have a clearer pic of the CBA by now.
Nope.
If Dallas is adamant on not using a tag or working out a new deal with Prescott until the new CBA is set in stone, they're traveling down a rocky path. The Cowboys would allow Prescott to enter the open market, and could get screwed over if another team drives up his asking price. If they're that dead-set on bringing Prescott back for the foreseeable future, they'd have to overpay for him. In the process, they'd allow top free agents in Amari Cooper and Byron Jones to join other squads.
The Cowboys can't mess around and be overly patient with this. They have to work out a new deal with Prescott, or potentially tag him before the new CBA is ratified, or else it might be too late.