Dak-ing Exclusively

Welp, we got half of an answer in the whole Dak Prescott-Dallas Cowboys saga.

Dak Prescott – the Cowboys' franchise QB – will at least play the 2020-21 NFL season in Dallas, after Dallas placed the exclusive franchise tag their man-behind-center.

Dallas now has until July 15 to sign Prescott to a long-term deal. If he is not signed by July 15, Prescott will play the next NFL season under the franchise tag, assuming he doesn't hold out.

The exclusive franchise tag is somewhat of a win for both sides...right?

Prescott – who was paid a little over $2 million last year, the final year of his rookie contract – gets a huge salary bump.

For Dallas, the organization earns itself a little more time to work out a deal with Dak, either before July 15 or this time next season.

The Cowboys can also turn their focus to other big name free agents, specifically wide receiver Amari Cooper.

To be clear, that's looking at this whole ordeal as glass half full – but is it really glass half empty?

The Cowboys have spent ample time trying to sign Dak long-term, and the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement.

And now, Cooper is a free agent, and Dak still has the option of holding out until he gets the deal he desires.

Prescott is only the sixth quarterback in NFL history to be hit with the exclusive tag, and the first quarterback in Cowboys history to receive the tag.

Clearly, the gap between what the Cowboys want to pay and what Dak wants to earn is still relatively wide.

Wait. Last September, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff signed a 4-year, $134 million contract, with $110 million in guaranteed money.

And the Cowboys' latest offer was above that? And Dak still turned it down?

Jerry has indeed been known to pay up. And Prescott, for the most part, has delivered for the Cowboys over the last four seasons.

We don't know what the future holds for Dak and Dallas.

But what we are sure of is that this saga is far from over.