Cowboys’ Prescott doesn’t get deal to replace franchise tag

By SCHUYLER DIXON

DALLAS, Tx. (AP) _ Dak Prescott will play whatever becomes of the 2020 season under the one-year franchise tag after the Dallas Cowboys and their star quarterback couldn’t agree on a long-term contract.

Clubs had until Wednesday afternoon to reach multiyear deals with players given the franchise tag. Of the 14 tagged in March, two have agreements, including NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry with Tennessee just before the deadline.

Two more — Cincinnati receiver A.J. Green and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue of Jacksonville — haven’t signed the one-year contract that goes with the tag. They can stay away from team activities without the risk of being fined. Ngakoue has said he won’t play for the Jaguars and wants to be traded.

Prescott signed his $31.4 million contract in June. The 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year earned slightly more than $4 million total in the four years of his rookie contract after being drafted in the fourth round.

The Cowboys and Prescott have been working for more than a year on a long-term contract for a two-time Pro Bowler who has started every game of his career.

Prescott replaced an injured Tony Romo during the 2016 preseason and led a franchise-record 11-game winning streak that carried the Cowboys to the top seed in the NFC playoffs. Romo, a 10-year starter, never got his job back.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones has said repeatedly he considers Prescott a franchise quarterback for years to come. If so, his fate will be different than the other two QBs who have played under the franchise tag.

Drew Brees won a Super Bowl and became the NFL’s all-time passing leader in New Orleans after playing under the tag with San Diego in 2005. Kirk Cousins went to Minnesota after tagged seasons with Washington in 2016-17.

For now, the third $100 million-plus contract in Dallas history — Romo had the first — will have to wait until at least 2021, when the Cowboys could put the franchise tag on Prescott again at nearly $38 million.

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