The Dallas Cowboys haven’t invested much into their roster this offseason, not even signing star quarterback Dak Prescott or top wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to contract extensions. As the Cowboys’ front office takes a rare approach to negotiations, Prescott might be prepared to take his own hard-line approach.
Typically, most NFL teams aggressively pursue contract extensions with their best players before other clubs reset the market with new contracts. Dallas has watched as salaries for quarterbacks and wide receivers exploded in 2024, setting up a scenario where Prescott and Lamb play out the 2024 season on expiring deals.
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- Dak Prescott contract: $55.455 million cap hit in 2024, NFL free agent in 2025
While the Cowboys could prevent Lamb from testing NFL free agency thanks to the franchise tag, Prescott has the ability to walk. While he’s open to negotiating a long-term deal right now, the Cowboys’ quarterback appears ready to force the team’s hand.
Appearing on the This Is Football podcast by Kevin Clark, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler shared that Prescott is believed to be willing to force the Cowboys’ hand in negotiations by hitting free agency in 2025.
“I think he’s prepared to do that if forced. I think he is prepared to play out the season and go to free agency. I don’t think wants to do that, but he’s certainly prepared and there’s probably some intrigue there of what kind of damage he could do.”
Jeremy Fowler on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott
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- Dak Prescott stats (ESPN): 4,516 passing yards, 36 passing touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 7.7 yards per attempt, 69.5% completion rate, 105.9 QB rating
Fowler also noted that around the league, NFL teams view Prescott as a top-10 quarterback. While many like Kirk Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million deal coming off a torn Achilles, the consensus opinion is that Prescott is a better quarterback.
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What really puts Dallas in jeopardy would be Prescott officially hitting the open market. The Cowboys can’t franchise tag Prescott, so there would be no way for the team to prevent him from signing elsewhere. There also hasn’t been a healthy, top-10 quarterback in NFL free agency in decades. With that leverage, Prescott could get even more money from the Cowboys or another team.
Potential impact of free agency on a Dak Prescott contract
Dak Prescott already has significant leverage over negotiations with Dallas. The Cowboys included a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he can block any attempt to move him to another team. Furthermore, Prescott’s cap hit is high enough that it limits how much money could be used this offseason to improve the Cowboys roster.
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If Prescott reaches NFL free agency next spring, the bidding war will push negotiations to a record-breaking price.
“I would imagine with Dak’s precedent, what he can do to change a franchise, it would be considerable money. The $60 million per year number that’s floated around would be on the table.”
ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler on the likely cost of a Dak Prescott contract
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The contracts that quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence ($55 million APY) and Jared Goff ($53 million APY) were dictated by the market, but without competition from other suitors. Prescott hitting free agency would allow teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers to all have a shot at an MVP-caliber quarterback.
With the NFL salary cap rapidly climbing, there’s more money than ever to spend on quarterbacks. If the Cowboys fail to extend Prescott before Week 1 this fall, there’s a real chance this is his last season in Dallas.
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