Dallas Cowboys free agency 2020: Top 5 targets

1. Dak Prescott, QB

Before any starts calling us Captain Obvious, we acknowledge the fact that Dak Prescott isn’t going anywhere. The Cowboys want him to be their long term answer at quarterback, and if a deal can’t be struck Prescott will receive the franchise tag.

The reason that Prescott is atop this list is because settling his future will make life much easier for the Cowboys in the long term. Prescott and the Cowboys haven’t yet reached a long term deal due to his desire to be paid top dollar, which Dallas wasn’t quite willing to do, but it has opened the potential for Prescott to take the Kirk Cousins route.

Cousins infamously didn’t take a long term contract with Washington, forcing them to use the franchise tag on him twice before the cost became too prohibitive, freeing Cousins to hit true free agency and sign with the Minnesota Vikings. Prescott could force a similar move by simply signing the tender for two years, with raises potentially setting him up for a $56 million salary in 2022 if the Cowboys went that route for a third time.

That is a risk the Cowboys can’t afford, so securing Prescott’s long term future could make it much easier for Dallas to plan financially for the coming years. Getting a deal done before the franchise tag deadline would also allow the Cowboys a shot to retain their three biggest free agents this offseason.

If Prescott’s deal gets done, Cooper would draw the franchise tag while cornerback Byron Jones would be transitioned, giving the Cowboys the right to match any offer he gets. Keeping all three exponentially increases Dallas’ chances of winning in 2020, so signing Prescott as soon as possible is the biggest priority for the Cowboys in the offseason.