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2019-2020 Offseason:
(Late-Arriving)
Latest NFL News And Views Part 2: From Respecting Race To SAVING
FACE To Shielding In Place To Keeping Pace
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Part 1
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Part 2
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Part 3
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Part 4
July 27,
2020 At 10:13 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf-
- If you were to write “Dear Abby”
or “Ask GM Jerry,” you might (not?) be surprised to learn the July
15th result of the practically two-year negotiation between Dak
Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys had, in fact, been a long time comin’
. . . leaving most (but not entirely all) of “Cowboys Nation”
seriously bummin’.
Saving Face
"I told Stephen that no matter what else he does, his legacy will
depend on what happens with Emmitt. Maybe I didn't say it clear
enough. If Stephen doesn't get him signed [to a $48M deal], I'm
running him off." – GM Jerry to the Dallas Morning News in
September, 1996 (recalling how extending a certain QB-money-seeking
running back – to alleviate the 1993 Cowboys’
frighteningly-early-season cough – was Stephen’s problem to fix).
The dutiful son (wary of an eventual salary cap spending trap)
solved Emmitt’s issue (with nary a tissue), ensuring the eventual
back-to-back Super Bowl champions had their complete bag of
offensive tricks.
“We had just entered the salary cap era of the NFL. Stephen kind of
grabbed me by the shoulders, and said, ‘Now wait a minute, don’t go
back there unless we sit here and talk.’ And I said, ‘Well, Stephen,
I’m going to be very candid with you. I know what you’re saying
here, and you can always second guess the other guy a little bit,
but I think [signing rare talent Deion Sanders at HIS asking price]
is where we’re going to end up.’ All of a sudden, he pushes me up
against the door and has actually got his arm up against my chest.
I’m saying, ‘Are you going to hit me? WHAT in the world has gotten
into you?’ He backed down and said, ‘Doggone, I didn’t know you were
that ready to go on this. I should have weighed into you a lot
quicker.’ The substantive-ness of our relationship allows you to
have that kind of quid pro quo yet maintain the respect of the
father-son relationship.” – GM Jerry to D Magazine in October 2019
(retelling the well-documented tale of how Stephen tried to
“convince him” to keep their cap more flexible and longer-term
clean). “Primetime” would – of course – get his dough, and the
Cowboys’ trophy case would grow. The Cowboys’ salary cap – in turn
and four years later – would struggle to flow.
“When we first bought the team, in those ensuing years right off the
bat, Stephen was in a position of influence and responsibility much
earlier in every aspect – the entire picture, football, banking the
bowels of stadium operation, concessions, marketing – every aspect.”
– GM Jerry (BIG on “blurred lines” and eagerly, proudly conveying
Stephen’s involvement in every Cowboys’ project, no matter the
subject).
“He can do ALL those kinds of things, and I go with him on them
because I know he has done his homework. He has the experience, and
he knows the consequences. Hell, he’d like to have a Super Bowl
worse than his next breath. He knows I would.” – GM Jerry
(reinforcing Stephen’s presence and ever-growing impact on
all-things-Cowboys is understood).
Fast forward to 2020 where consistent NFL (network television)
success has steadily, increasingly translated into
comparatively-ridiculous money. Even with such a year-over-year,
decade-over-decade increase, other (perhaps unimagined elements)
have prevented some teams – or, really, ONE team, “America’s Team” –
from keeping the contract peace.
Again, and again and again, Dallas Cowboys star quarterback Dak
Prescott could have accepted the Cowboys’ (alleged) final offer of
five years, $33-36M APY, $80M signing bonus, and $110M in total
guarantees, but he and his agent, Todd France – like a pair of good
hunting dogs – were strategically scratching a couple more fleas.
The monstrously-anticipated 2022 NFL network television pact (along
with an expected, separately-arranged bonanza of gambling money to
attract) had (and still has) incredible appeal, encouraging Prescott
to insist on nothing longer than a four-year deal.
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Again, and again and again, GM Jerry and Stephen certainly could
have sweetened their longer deal (to give Dak enough peace of mind
to relent in kind) and simply called it even. They could have backed
off the low-hanging-fruit theme of
“how much more money in
endorsements any and every player can make as a member of America’s
Team,” as what a player rightfully earns on the field is an
entirely, undeniably separate, performance-based yield. One party
might say that is simply being logical, while another party might
view that as diabolical.
Was Stephen Jones having a Deion Sanders moment? Was Prescott’s
contract struggle an opportunity for Stephen to perform rather
personal atonement? Only if you completely ignore the previous
quotes attributed to GM Jerry. The Cowboys’ hair-trigger spender was
certainly involved (with an ego not-yet-devolved), but the Jones’s
collective mission was (1) to not make themselves a target by
resetting the market, (2) to give Dak
the fair market value he had
competitively,
comparatively earned, and (3) to reasonably sidestep a less-flexible
salary cap future that (due to other, recent contracts) might become
unnecessarily scary.
So, really, was Stephen overcorrecting for the momentary (and
championship-worthy) crime of laying out such cap-cramping money for
Prime? Yes and no. Did Prescott and France allegedly, verbally, and
quietly commit to contract terms “in principal” at the start of
the 2019 season? Did the two of them (following a rather-potent
3-game win streak) suddenly choose to expand Dak’s financial focus (which
– to GM Jerry – was news none-too-pleasin’)? Did GM Jerry – who is
always ready to write “an embarrassing check” – throw up a stop sign
and yell “What the [HECK]?!”
In doing so, and if at-all-true, did Emperor Jerry turn – once more
– to Darth Stephen to appropriately mind the Death Star, err,
general store? “I must confide my disappointment in Dak Skywalker’s
refusal to turn to the 5-year side. The legibility of my
embarrassing check has suddenly faded, or perhaps it is the onset of
cataracts, as I am a bit dated. It may be that the ink in my
normally-high-performance light sabre, err, pen has strangely run
dry. Lord Stephen, you know what to do, my guy.”
"[Dak and Todd] certainly want a shorter deal. Historically we have,
as management, wanted longer deals because it's more cap-friendly,
and we're able to spread some things out and keep some players. At
the end of the day, and Dak understands this, THAT'S what we're
trying to do." – Stephen Jones (continuing his logic loop of at
least the past two years) on the Cowboys’ team website
(acknowledging the standstill that perhaps prevented mutual winners
of their exhaustively-documented contract fight).
"Deadlines make deals [unless the sting of an alleged understanding
(in your own mind?) never sufficiently heals]." – GM Jerry.
"When have I EVER been known not to get one of these deals done?" –
GM Jerry (knowing now that – lesser, petty grievances aside – a
mutual combination of valid-and-competing strategies prevented this
critical agreement from being won).
Still, it would appear – for now – there is no urgent concern over
saving face . . . as each party has (at least publicly) moved on
with attempts at distinction and grace.
Why Not Just Like “That Announcer Guy?”
"It is really sweet that Jerry believes Stephen can
more-than-handle the end-to-end management heat, but what is his
excuse for Stephen's failure to sign Prescott to a long-term
commitment?! Neither Jerry nor Stephen – when it came to
Tony Romo –
were nearly as stringent!" you demand with a tone so insistent and a
feeling so indignant.
The Dallas Cowboys signed "that announcer guy" to his first contract
of any real consequence in 2007 when – compared to practically all
other Cowboys post-Aikman / pre-Romo QBs – “that (exciting /
excruciating) risk taker” was absolute heaven. That deal was for
$67.5M with $30M in guarantees. “That undrafted gun slinger”
(perhaps in awestruck appreciation of his situation and elevation
from his previous station) was all about “YES, PLEASE.”
2013 brought his one-and-only, TRULY BIG DEAL (with timing being
part of the appeal). A six-year, $108M extension (with $55M in total
guarantees and a $25M signing bonus). In paying attention to the
surrounding circumstances (not merely the fair market details) under
which that agreement was consummated, one might concur that a
comparison would be mildly bogus.
If (fading?) memory serves, that extension was struck two years
after ESPN's 2011-2012 renewal and one year prior to the 2014-2015
renewals for the other networks. That announcer guy could have held
out for more, but – unlike with Prescott – there were no
immediately-upcoming television deals or potentially-acquirable
gambling money perks (over which gutsy star players were looking to
take advantage or demanding a percentage). “And, AND” the CBA – at
the time (from the negotiating hole out of which the “brilliant”
NFLPA still, to this day, seemingly prefers to climb) – was not nearly as
modern-day sublime.
“And, AND, AAAND” those contracts – particularly his final deal –
were granted to that announcer guy, because of roster wounds that GM
Jerry and son Stephen were consistently unable to routinely heal.
That announcer guy – while both exhilarating (in his escapist ways
to regularly extend plays) and excruciating (in his Favre-like
belief he could squeeze ill-advised passes “in there like a thief”)
– was a difference-maker to the teams on which he was the starting
quarterback. “Everyone” with 20-20 vision knows how often he was (or
felt) forced to creatively fill in performance gaps for the
quality
coaching and consistently-good talent several of his teams
did lack.
That was until 2014, when a seemingly-loaded offense coalesced with
a talent-tepid hustle-heavy defense, along with another “special”
teams unit, and mercilessly exploded upon the scene.
“I think [Romo would be] the first to tell you, anybody would, the
only thing missing on his résumé at this point is [more postseason
success and ultimately] a championship. And certainly, that doesn’t
[exclusively] sit in Tony’s lap. That [shared
responsibility] sits in our lap, [owner] Jerry
[Jones] and our family’s lap. In terms of the organization, we have
to do better at putting better people around him. It falls on our
personnel department, the coaching staff and the players around him.
It’s a team effort.” – Stephen Jones to 105.3 The Fan in November
2014 (acknowledging – again – how on that announcer guy the Cowboys
would too heavily lean, unintentionally doing him a little too dirty
rather than making smarter, less-flashy moves to keep him clean).
"It says it all that we couldn't win a ball game without him.
We're glad to have Tony Romo back." – Stephen Jones in horribly
unclean 2015 (before seeing that announcer guy come back excitingly
early only to suffer a fatally-familiar injury in a devastating
way on Thanksgiving Day). Breaking his collar
bone TWICE (in the same season) was not nice.
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“And, AND, AAAAAANNNNND” once it appeared the Cowboys were
reasonably-reloaded one year later, that fragile announcer guy was
bent in such a preseason way that
his body could no longer pay the
rent. WHAT a deflater . . . until
Prescott was forced (by
more than one QB injury)
into action, gaining incredibly-unexpected traction, and completely
reversing a suddenly-feared 2016 crater.
When it came time (four years later) for Dak to finally be rewarded
– as the self-believing, overachieving (?) leader of a team not
quite as routinely talent-distorted within
equally-crusty schemes
that should have been aborted – everyone screamed
“PAY THE MAN! GET
THAT DEAL SORTED!” GM Jerry and Stephen made a more-than-reasonable,
final attempt, but Prescott – again, as remains his right – had
zero
interest in being new-TV-money-exempt. The final offer amount –
by every trusted media account – was deemed close enough, but when it came to
the
number of years (again and again and again),
BOTH parties said in
unison “I call your bluff.”
The result of the failed negotiation between the Cowboys and Dak was
never about how much the Jones family (from patriarch to
football-playing-grandson) reveres that announcer guy. GM Jerry and
Stephen had / have historically made similarly-complimentary,
hopeful remarks about both quarterbacks – almost to the “he is our
future” letter – and (understandably) frustrated fan theories (without
factual
flurries) will not fly. For now, Dak has a one-year, $31.4M
guarantee under which fans hope he can repeat as a career-high
guy.
Will They Or Won’t They?
People are allowed to believe and even go out of their way to prove
that everything is better with more cheddar, even though the result
can sometimes turn out no gouda. What was that? “Enough with the
cheese! IT'LL MAKE YOU FAT!" you say (convincingly holding sway).
Will there be no turning back from the NFL’s “Brave New World” of
equally-insistent, particularly-productive players versus
purse-protecting, cap-projecting payers?
With a new, hopefully more-enterprising coaching staff and an
improved roster at-the-ready, will Dak Prescott turn his one-year
guarantee into another wallet-fattening franchise tag (following
yet
another negotiation drag) or a much meatier long-term opportunity,
or – GASP – an inconceivable chance to flee?
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- Though Kirk Cousins has purportedly whispered
nothing but
encouragement into Dak’s still-impressionable ear, what will come next when the 2020
smoke doth clear? Will Cowboys Nation “LIKE THAT?!” or will the
unexpected provoke an almost Dick Dastardly “OH, DRAT?!”
We shall see. We Always do.-
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Part 1
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Part 2
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Part 3
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Part 4
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