Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are engaged in an interesting off-field battle. The Cowboys’ franchise quarterback is entering the final year of his contract, and he wants to be paid fair market value. As a three-time Pro Bowler coming off a season where he led the NFL’s highest-scoring offense and had the most passing touchdowns, Prescott deserves to be one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.
But there’s a sense that the current $55 million per year threshold isn’t enough to satisfy Prescott’s appetite. Considering he’s accomplished just as much, if not more than the current highest-paid QBs in Jordan Love, Joe Burrow, and Trevor Lawrence, the Cowboys leader has earned a big payday. Sure, Prescott hasn’t had the same playoff success as Burrow, but some might aim that critique at the Dallas coaching staff too. It’s not all on one player’s shoulders.
Naturally, even if the Cowboys are balking at Prescott’s current contract demands, there’s no way Jerry Jones and Co. want him to become a free agent, where the market will determine his value. There are always at least a handful of teams who seek an upgrade at the NFL’s most valuable position, and Prescott’s price could skyrocket on the open market.
If the Cowboys are intent on showing they believe in Prescott, they’d be much better off getting a contract done right now instead of after the season. Yet, while the Cowboys owner has recently expressed a lack of urgency with CeeDee Lamb, that shouldn’t be the case with Prescott, or Lamb for that matter. The last thing the Cowboys want is for either one to hit free agency, yet some insiders believe that’s exactly where the situation is headed with Prescott.
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Dak Prescott wants a new contract, but free agency could be on the table instead
The Dallas Cowboys may not want Dak Prescott to become a free agent, but that could be exactly what happens. Once a season starts, it’s rare for big-money contracts to get done during the year. Most negotiating gets done either in the offseason or before Week 1 kicks off.
So the Cowboys are playing a dangerous game, but they have roughly a month before their regular season starts on September 8 against the Cleveland Browns. However, one NFL insider still thinks Prescott would be open to becoming a free agent at season’s end.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes Prescott remains “flexible” and doesn’t think he’s “against” becoming a free agent either.
“The Cowboys’ conversations with Prescott’s agent, Todd France, on a new deal are ongoing. Although a deal is not considered close, the Cowboys believe they are in a better place than they were this offseason. The team needs to believe it is getting a win beyond retaining the services of the player. The Cowboys will sell that they have more to offer than other teams … primarily, the combination of no state income tax and the marketing money that comes with being a Cowboys legend.
Prescott was very strategic here. His agency is Athletes First, which just did megadeals for quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Jordan Love. Batting Prescott, the more accomplished player, next in that order makes a lot of sense. So it’s entirely possible Prescott is just as comfortable waiting as Dallas is. This very clearly has to surpass $55 million per year. That said, I don’t sense Prescott is angling for free agency at this point. The discussions are active enough to potentially avoid that. And as multiple executives with other teams pointed out, Dallas usually finds a way to keep its stars. However, I don’t think Prescott is against free agency, either. He seems flexible.”
ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Dak Prescott
Perhaps most of the posturing is being done on Prescott’s end. Maybe the Cowboys have already offered a very respectable contract offer, but he’s just holding out for more. That’s the thing. Once he signs, good luck getting the Cowboys to agree to another small raise in another year or two if he outplays his contract, such as getting that ever-so-elusive Super Bowl win. Yet, those bonuses can also be written in via incentives too.
It remains to be seen what the Cowboys do with their star quarterback, but no one really expects him to leave Dallas next offseason because that would be a Texas-sized mistake.
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