Advertisement

Cowboys, Dak Prescott reportedly not close on multi-year deal as deadline looms

The deadline for franchise-tagged players to reach a multi-year deal with their teams is Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET. It’s looking like Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys may not get a long-term contract before the deadline.

According to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys are “not close” to inking a long-term deal with their quarterback.

Prescott, 26, was tagged by the Cowboys in March, and he signed the tender in June. That keeps him in Dallas for 2020 with a $31.4 million salary. The Cowboys want to lock him down for the future, not just the next season. Prescott also appears to want a long-term deal, but the two sides don’t agree on what that deal should look like.

The issue isn’t the money, but rather the years, Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported in May. Prescott is pushing for a four-year deal while the Cowboys are holding firm on five years.

As far as the money, the Cowboys don’t seem to be lowballing him. Via the Dallas Morning News:

A source said the Cowboys offered Prescott a contract that would come second to Russell Wilson ($35 million) in terms of average salary per year. The Cowboys also presented Prescott a deal that would surpass the most guaranteed money for a quarterback. The Rams’ Jared Goff has the most guaranteed money in the NFL at $110 million.

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys reportedly aren't close to inking a long-term deal. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys reportedly aren't close to inking a long-term deal. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

For Prescott, $35 million a year makes sense. He’s good — he threw 30 touchdowns and a career-high 4,902 yards in 2020 — but not better than the Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson. And beating Jared Goff in guaranteed money seems like a sweet deal, but only if Prescott values the money more than the years. If four years is the most he wants to sign for, more guaranteed money isn’t going to change that.

It’s not the end of the world for Prescott or the Cowboys if they don’t reach a deal Wednesday. He’s still going to be on the field for the Cowboys in 2020 , and the two sides can still reach a deal once the season is over. Plus, all of this might work out in Prescott’s favor, at least financially.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. There are still two whole days left until the July 15 deadline. Prescott and the Cowboys still have plenty of time to hammer out a deal that will keep the QB in Dallas for years to come.

More from Yahoo Sports: