Cowboys Chess: Scoop On New Offer To Dak and an Idea on Amari To Keep Both

The NFL Tag Deadline Approaches, Meaning It's time for the Dallas Cowboys to Play Contractual Chess: Having Made A New Offer to Dak, They Should Overpay Him (or Amari) In Order To Keep Both

FRISCO - In a vacuum, Dak Prescott has a certain NFL contractual value. In a separate vacuum, Amari Cooper has his own certain NFL contractual value. But the Dallas Cowboys aren't in a vacuum; they're in the eye of a salary-cap hurricane, trying to maintain control of two valuable pieces of their roster as those pieces whirr around them.

A potential solution to retaining the rights to both Prescott and Cooper, despite the likely coming reality that only one of them can be tagged?

Overpay one. Tag the other.

Give in to one. Control the other.

Sacrifice dollars for one. Salvage power over the other.

Let's start with our Sunday evening breaking news: That's about getting Dak to accept their latest proposal, which sources tell CowboysSI.com is in excess of the reported $33 million APY and $105 million guaranteed. 

The new number is in excess of what was offered Dak in September (when a deal was "imminent,'' according to owner Jerry Jones). And it's in excess of what was on the table previous to this weekend.

Assuming Prescott's side fails to budge, can there still be a strategic way to secure the services of both players?

Yes. The contractual control of the two players should be treated like pieces on a chess board. Move this one here in anticipation of moving that one there. Sacrifice something here for a larger gain over there.

If the players vote to affirm the new CBA, each team will have but one franchise tag to use. Dallas' No. 1 guy is Dak. But if we get to the Thursday tag deadline and both are unsigned, Prescott - the more valued of the two - will get the tag. And Cooper will get unfettered free agency.

While there are questions about Cooper's level of excellence, why lose him for nothing?

Dallas doesn't have to. It can, instead, fold to most any Prescott demand (short of a three-year deal; that helps Dak because the present NFL deal with the TV networks expires after 2022) and pay him his asking price as long as the Cowboys get say, a six-year commitment ...

And then tag Amari. He gets his $18.4 million guaranteed for 2020. You get to continue to negotiate with him (or not) while he plays on what in essence is a "prove-it'' deal.

Will Amari - who happens to be a passionate Chess guy - pout his way through 2020? Possibly, though he'd be cutting his own financial throat by doing so. More viable: He does his "Ketchup-on-a-Burger'' thing with Dak, who - fully satisfied financially - works as a leader to keep Cooper plugged in.

Again, we concede that this is ruthless. And cynical. Why does Dak's deal have to have anything to do with Amari's? And vice-versa? Because that's what the rules of Salary-Cap Chess dictate. And short of being able to sign both stars by Thursday, this is how the Cowboys should move their pieces on the board.