NFL odds: Approval of new CBA may cost Dallas Cowboys Amari Cooper in free agency

Thursday was the day NFL teams were allowed to start placing either a franchise or transition tag on players who are poised for free agency, and teams have until March 12 to do so. Clubs are allowed to use both of those, but just one each on a player. A franchise tag is a one-year guaranteed contract that pays said player an average of the Top 5 salaries at his position. That sounds enticing for a player on the surface, but they prefer long-term security and a huge signing bonus in a new contract.

The transition tag isn't used all that often. It pays a player a salary an average of the Top 10 at his position but also allows players to sign offer sheets with other teams. The original club has five days to match and would get draft pick compensation if it doesn't. Essentially, the franchise tag keeps a player off the market and a transition tag makes a player a restricted free agent.

Under the terms of the proposed collective bargaining agreement that has been sent to the players and is in the midst of being voted upon – likely no result before late next week with around 2,000 players in the league and all having voting rights --  teams would be forced to choose between using either the franchise and transition tag and not both. While the CBA technically wouldn't take full effect until the 2021 season, that franchise/transition designation would take effect immediately.

Players would be happy about that because as it's one fewer roadblock to free agency. However, losing a second tag option could crush the Dallas Cowboys. They still have yet to come to agreement on long-term deals with quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver Amari Cooper. In theory, they could franchise Prescott and transition Cooper, but that can't happen if the new CBA is ratified by the players.

There's no way the Cowboys are letting Prescott go – he's considered the top free agent available. You simply don't find franchise quarterbacks like Prescott easily. "Dak's our quarterback," Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said recently. "He's our quarterback for the future. We have nothing but the greatest respect for him."

If the sides can't work out a long-term deal by that March 12 deadline, Dallas would no doubt franchise Prescott. That would mean Cooper – again, assuming the CBA is ratified – would hit the open market and there's a good chance the Cowboys would be outbid for him. Free agency begins March 18. 

Cooper, despite playing through some injuries, set career highs in both yards (1,179) and touchdowns (eight) last season. Dallas has another marquee free agent it needs to sign in cornerback Byron Jones, but Stephen Jones has intimated that signing Jones is much less a priority than Prescott and Cooper. Dallas currently has a win total of 9.5 for 2020 on the DraftKings NFL futures odds.

Via SportsLine NFL oddsmakers: Will the new CBA be ratified by the NFL players ? 

Yes -180

No +120