Cowboys 'Won't Move Forward' With Deals on Dak and Amari Until CBA Settled

The Dallas Cowboys Haven't Had Much Movement With Their Top Free Agents And Now COO Stephen Jones Position is That Dallas 'Won't Move Forward' With Deals on Dak and Amari Until the CBA Settled

Hurry up and wait.

That is essentially the position of the Dallas Cowboys as in their view, the unsettled situation with the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations have created their own negotiations with top free agents Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper to be unsettled as well.

The Cowboys and quarterback Prescott were close on a deal in September, a deal we believe was worth about $34 million APY. But Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said on Monday while speaking to the media in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine that the two sides have not negotiated seriously since that time.

It's been Jones' position more recently that "things are fixin' to heat up'' with the Cowboys and their QB. But what "heated up'' instead were the NFL owners' talks with the NFLPA. And as a result, a deal might be around the corner that will help Dallas (and other teams) determine what the cap will be, what tags might be available, and the like.

Jones said Cooper's status is similar, though he added that there was an "upbeat'' conversation with the receiver's representatives at the Super Bowl.

If a new CBA is not in place, the Cowboys would be able to use both the franchise and transition tags this offseason - if they don't get deals done with the two players by the tag deadline (presently March 10 but reportedly moving to March 18). Short of that? All Dallas can commit to is its belief in the players, as exemplified by what Jones said about Prescott when asked about the idea of altering the team's plans at QB.

“Dak’s our quarterback,” Jones said. “He’s our quarterback for the future. We have nothing but the greatest respect for him. . . . There’s no thoughts like that.”