NFL Notes: Dak Prescott, Andrew Luck, RBs Union

Dak Prescott

• CBS Sports analyst and former agent Joel Corry says one of the areas of disagreement between the Cowboys and QB Dak Prescott is likely on the length of the contract.
• Corry explains that Dallas prefers to sign players to longer extensions, while Prescott’s agent Todd France is likely targeting a four-year extension for his client to give him another chance for a big contract at the age of 30. 
• Prescott reportedly turned down an offer worth $30 million per year, which Corry projects as a five-year, $150 million extension with a $35 million signing bonus and $96 million guaranteed, $73 million guaranteed at signing. 
• Should Dallas elect to use the franchise tag on Prescott, it would cost them $32.221 million in 2020 and $38.665 million in 2021. 

The key date for the Colts to decide if QB Andrew Luck will start the regular-season opener against the Chargers is August 26, two days after Indianapolis’ third preseason game. If Luck still isn’t recovered enough from his lower leg issue to play, then backup QB Jacoby Brissett will get the start. 

“You gotta make the call and move from there, whether we’re full speed with Andrew after the third preseason game or at that point if we’re gonna go with Jacoby,” Colts HC Frank Reich said via the Athletic’s Zak Keefer.

Running Backs Union

• The International Brotherhood of Professional Running Backs filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to create a separate players union for running backs in the NFL, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. 
• The petition, dated August 6, names Veronica Patton as executive director and says the “current one-size fits all” approach disadvantages runnings backs compared to other positions, citing, for example, the “rookie wage contract is economically harmful to workers in skill group (RB), but advantageous to players in skill group (QB).”
• Florio expects both the NFL and NFLPA to oppose the creation of a separate running backs union, with the IBPRB likely needing to persuade current running backs to break away from the NFLPA to join their union. 
• Florio says there’s a good chance some players will, as the current rookie wage scale limits running back earnings in the prime of their careers while disincentivizing teams to sign backs to second contracts once there are questions about the punishment they’ve taken. 
• That issue is at the heart of prominent running back holdouts by Le’Veon Bell, Melvin Gordon and Ezekiel Elliott. 
• Florio says the IBPRB could look to do away with the rule that requires running backs to spend three years in college before entering the NFL draft to try and extend their earning potential.