Long-term contract extensions are rare during the season. If there is a window, however, the bye week can present it.
However, with the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott, no progress was made on contract talks during the off week, sources say. In fact, negotiations in earnest have not gone on for some time.
As Dallas is set to face the Minnesota Vikings tonight, there is "nothing going on," per one source.
This means Prescott is headed toward the franchise tag this offseason. At this point in the season, with a tag looming, it's hard to imagine a new deal getting done. That said, neither side has put a deadline on it and talks could kick into gear at any point.
If the Cowboys gave Prescott the exclusive franchise tag, it would cost them more than $33 million. If he's tagged again in 2021, it would eclipse $40 million, and he could become a free agent in 2022 if they haven't struck a pact.
For Prescott, his play for the NFC East-leading Cowboys has earned him a spot among the game's richest players. His passer rating of 102.5 is among the best efforts in his career, despite the pressure to perform in a contract year.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys have said there is no doubt he's their QB of the future, and teams don't let those guys go into free agency. Thus, the tag.
This sets up an interesting situation for two looming contracts. With Prescott slated for the franchise tag, receiver Amari Cooper is also in a contract year. Cooper has said he's comfortable waiting until after the season for a new deal.
Could Dallas tag Prescott and then transition tag Cooper? In the final year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement only, they can. Time will tell how they handle it.
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