Cowboys news: ESPN reports Dallas will not let Dak Prescott hit free agency (2024)

Report reveals Cowboys’ stance on Dak Prescott contract - Grey Papke, Larry Brown Sports

According to ESPN, the Cowboys will not let Dak Prescott hit free agency.

Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys have not fully committed to each other in recent public comments, but the Cowboys do not have any real doubts privately about their quarterback.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on Friday’s “NFL Live” that the Cowboys remain “all-in” on re-signing Prescott, and fully intend to prevent the quarterback from becoming a free agent in 2025.

“They are all-in on re-signing Dak Prescott eventually. They just haven’t shown it yet,” Fowler said. “I’m told behind the scenes they’ve made clear they don’t want him to hit free agency in 2025. They want him to be the quarterback of the future, but the negotiation has been described to me as passive. Sometime this summer, they’re going to have to ramp up the heat a little bit, come with a strong offer, and get the ball going. They’ve made clear they’re going to do that. They’re just slow-playing it a little bit.”

It is not really clear why the Cowboys are moving so slowly with a Prescott extension unless they are waiting for Trevor Lawrence or Tua Tagovailoa to set the market.

NFL’s most underappreciated players: Cowboys’ Brandin Cooks among NFC picks - Tom Blair, NFL.com

Some love for the veteran Cowboys receiver.

Cooks has definitely been appreciated by NFL teams, who have paid him plenty and traded for him several times since he was drafted in 2014. But he’s never made the Pro Bowl or first-team All-Pro, and in four of his six 1,000-yard seasons, his team had a losing record, meaning he’s spent a good portion of his career on the fringes of the competitive landscape. So even before 2023, he probably could have qualified for a “lifetime underappreciation award.” Now — as even he would admit — he is no longer the top pass-catching option on the field. That said, he’s kept his per-catch mark above 12 yards over the past two seasons, and he says he’s “ready to rock” after picking things up in the second half last season. The volume might not be there, but he’s a consummate pro who can still play an important role for Dallas.

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Polling shows Commanders fans don’t like Commanders name - Mike Florio, PFT

No kidding.

How will Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb be impacted by exploding WR market? - Dave Helman, FoxSports

Every day the Cowboys continue to sit on their hands is going to cots them more money - and cap space.

It feels hard to believe it’s gotten to this point. After all, Lamb was a first-team All-Pro in 2023 and averaged 87 catches and 1,132 receiving yards over the three years prior to that. It’s easy to imagine a world where the Cowboys extend him for $25 million a year ahead of time — similar to what we’re seeing right now with St. Brown, Smith and Waddle. Instead, the fifth-year option on Lamb’s contract is costing the Cowboys $17 million on this year’s salary cap, hindering their ability to sign outside free agents. And of course, his eventual deal should easily exceed $30 million per year.

Proactive behavior hasn’t often been the Cowboys’ strong suit when it comes to top-of-the-market players, though. Lamb can ask Prescott about that, as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback is in the middle of the second contract standoff of his career.

And to be fair to the Cowboys, perhaps this was all part of the plan. It’s worth noting that Lamb and Jefferson are both represented by the agency CAA, which is one of the game’s biggest power brokers. Maybe it’s the players, just as much as the teams waiting to see how these cards get dealt.

Whatever posturing that might be taking place feels irrelevant at this point. Each passing deal that gets signed is a reminder that, eventually, Lamb and Jefferson are going to blow the receiver market sky-high. The only question now is how many more leaves are left to fall.

Observations from week two of OTA availability - Nick Harris, DallasCowboys.com

Harris offers some very early insights on how the depth chart might shake out at center and running back.

Speaking of the first-team offensive line work, Brock Hoffman was handling the bulk of the communication up front and talking significantly more with Dak Prescott than he did last year. As he looks to stake his claim on the center battle, his communication with QB1 will be of huge importance. Other centers that got work were TJ Bass, Cooper Beebe and Dakoda Shepley.

The running back by committee approach continues to draw eyeballs, and while it is expected to be a hodgepodge of contributions from various guys in 2024, the team did divide between the first and second-team units at a point in practice. That allowed the media to see who could be at the front of that room with Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle and Hunter Luepke residing with the first-team and Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Snoop Conner, Malik Davis and Nathaniel Peat working with the second-team.

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Cowboys LG Tyler Smith’s reason for being excited about 2024 season should scare the rest of the NFL - Mauricio Rodriguez, AtoZ Sports

Smith is primed to dominate on the interior again.

Dallas Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith is undergoing an interesting “first” since joining the NFL in 2022: He’s focusing on one and one position only ahead of the regular season.

“I’m definitely excited just knowing where I’m going to be and what I need to improve on,” Smith told reporters during the second week of Cowboys OTAs. “Obviously, we have to stay ready because that’s part of our mantra—five is one. Anything happens, everybody has to step up, but I’m definitely excited to be able to work at that spot and continue to get better each day.”

Tyler Smith’s reason for being excited should be opposing NFL teams’ reason for being scared. Smith was surprisingly good as a tackle with little prep as a rookie and rose through the ranks as a second-team All-Pro last year playing inside. In the process, he dominated the likes of Aaron Donald, Jalen Carter, and many other top defensive tackles around the league.

Now he’s got a full season at the position under his belt and will enter his third year fully specialized.

This is Juanyeh Thomas’s pathway to bigger role with Cowboys - Reid Hanson, Cowboys Wire

Juanyeh Thomas has steadily gained the confidence of the coaching staff, which could lead to more snaps in 2024.

Mike Zimmer is the new head honcho on defense in 2024. The former Vikings coach brings with him more split safety looks and greater demand on his secondary.

In Geoff Collins’ scheme at Georgia Tech, Thomas was often asked to play various coverage safety roles. From single high to different split looks, Thomas was well versed in a number of roles. These where roles he executed well, and these are the roles that could see him get more opportunities for the Cowboys.

Taking a quick inventory of Dallas’ safety room, it appears there will be opportunities in the back half for a safety that can play in a 2-high role. Since Wilson and Bell are both at their best closer to the line of scrimmage, Thomas could find himself competing for snaps as 2-high safety alongside Hooker. It’s that role where his intelligence and consistency can win Zimmer over and it’s there where he could carve out a greater role in passing situations.

Dallas Cowboys RB Deuce Vaughn could see work out of slot in second season - RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys

Dallas is trying to find different ways to get Deuce Vaughn more involved in the offense.

This time last year the most popular rookie on the Cowboys was unquestionably running back Deuce Vaughn. His story with his father and being drafted by the team was all so incredible and everyone held a certain excitement that things could fully translate for him on the field.

Unfortunately that was not necessarily the case throughout 2023 as Vaughn was used rather sparingly. All told his rookie year saw him carry the ball 23 times for 40 yards.

But getting Vaughn in space - where he is most dangerous - does not necessarily mean that a hand off is required. During his time at Kansas State he did an immense amount of damage in the passing game and it seems that the Cowboys want to tap into that.

“It was one of those things that we had kind of talked about at the end of the season last year. Talking with Schotty... just a little bit about getting with that slot. Getting with a Brandin Cooks. Getting with a guy that plays out there. And just learning a little bit more about it. Because it’s one of the things I did in college and love to do. Just adds another value. Getting into this OTA season it’s perfect to go out here and learn with these guys and be on the field with Dak. Understand what he’s thinking. Understand what Coop’s thinking. Understand what these guys are doing.”

This is admittedly a bit of an offseason trope, but as Bill Jones pointed out Brian Schottenheimer was with the San Diego Chargers when they utilized Darren Sproles effectively. The similarities between Vaughn and Sproles are well-documented, perhaps there truly is something there.

On the subject of comparisons of sort, Vaughn was asked who he has patented his work in the slot after to this point and he mentioned a familiar name.

“When I went upstairs and started watching... a guy that I watched was Cole Beasley. Not a big guy in prowess but I mean, understood, his IQ of the game, seeing coverages, being able to sit down in the zones, being able to understand how to beat leverage... is unreal. I watched him this offseason and that’s one of the guys that I’ve watched a whole bunch.”