The Facts: The Cowboys placed the exclusive franchise tag on Prescott at the start of the legal tampering period, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources informed of the situation, keeping the quarterback from entertaining other suitors and ensuring he'll be under team control for 2020.

Diehards Line: Prescott can play under the tag in 2020, making an average of the top five salaries at the quarterback position, but his future isn't entirely secure. The tag can also buy the Cowboys the time necessary to hammer out a long-term deal, something Dallas wasn't able to do with Prescott between the end of a disappointing 2019 season and the start of the new league year. Whatever the case, the Cowboys are retaining a quarterback who posted the second best passer rating of his career (99.7) in 2019 and finished with nearly 5,000 passing yards and recorded a 30-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Those who needed Prescott to prove to them he was capable of being a franchise quarterback essentially had their question answered in 2019. Now it's up to Dallas to keep that quarterback for years to come. For now, he'll be there for at least one more season.