Stephen Jones: Quarterback interest not relevant to Dak Prescott’s contract

[Rowdy]

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The Cowboys have been kicking tires on incoming quarterback prospects, like Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts (pictured). But that doesn’t mean that they’re planning for life without Dak Prescott, according to Cowboys COO Stephen Jones.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with Dak’s contract in terms of our interest in a quarterback,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Friday. “I think we’re big believers — Mike [McCarthy] was up in Green Bay where they continually drafted quarterbacks up there. We’re always looking to get better. Obviously, we’ve had Cooper Rush around here, going into his fourth season. He’ll be free next year. We’re always looking to have a good backup situation, especially if it’s a young player who can develop, come in here and all of a sudden you have a serious resource if you’re able to develop a good, young quarterback. I think you’re going down the wrong path when you equate it to Dak’s situation, his contract situation. I don’t think it equates to what we’re looking at there.”
The reality, however, is that the Cowboys may end up on a year-to-year arrangement with Dak, possibly for only two years given the rules of the franchise tag. Besides, what’s to stop the Cowboys from waiting until after every team has a starting quarterback firmly in place before rescinding the franchise tender on Prescott?
Prescott has been playing hardball with the Cowboys, and by all appearances he intends to keep doing it. The Cowboys have one remaining hardball play, and that’s rescinding the tender.
It’s unlikely that they will, but if they emerge from the draft with a quarterback about whom McCarthy feels good and if McCarthy or Stephen Jones or Jerry Jones become sufficiently exasperated with Dak, he could end up on the open market, either with the franchise tag rescinded in 2020 or not exercised at all in 2021.