According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the Cowboys have “no progress” on an extension for CB Byron Jones and contract talks with WR Amari Cooper have “gained no traction.”
Regarding Cooper, La Canfora writes that “his departure in 2020 becoming increasingly likely.”
Dallas was reportedly planning to franchise Jones after the season, given that they may have had a case to argue he should count as a safety after spending the first few years of his career there. However, the lack of progress on a new deal with Dak Prescott could use them to use their tag on their quarterback instead.
La Canfora points out that the odds of any deals getting done with this group of players decrease by the week, as they will only draw closer to becoming unrestricted free agents in 2020.
The Cowboys planned to have Prescott signed to a long-term extension before the season, but and they have reportedly offered to make him one of the five highest-paid quarterbacks. Prescott has instead balked at their offer.
Cooper, 25, is a former No. 4 overall pick by the Raiders out of Alabama in the 2015 NFL Draft. The Raiders traded him to the Cowboys for a first-round pick midway through the 2018 season.
Cooper played out the final year of his four-year, $22.7 million contract, but his fifth-year option was picked up in 2018. He’s in line to be an unrestricted free agent in 2020.
In 2019, Cooper has appeared in six games for the Cowboys and caught 33 passes for 515 yards receiving and five touchdowns.
Jones, 27, is a former first-round pick out of Connecticut by the Cowboys in the 2015 NFL Draft. He played out the final year of his four-year, $8.601 million rookie contract, but the Cowboys elected to pick up his fifth-year option last year.
Jones now stands to make a base salary of $6.17 million for the 2019 season. He’s now in line to be an unrestricted free agent next year.
In 2019, Jones has appeared in six games for the Cowboys and recorded 20 tackles, no interceptions and three pass defenses.
We have them featured in our Top 25 – 2020 Free Agents list.
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