One of the major issues hovering in the background of the 2023 Cowboys season is a new Dak Prescott deal and his future with the organization, given that his contract expires in 2024 and he has yet to sign an extension.
Prescott, now in his sixth season in Dallas, is certainly having a make-good year, and so far, he has delivered.
The Cowboys are now in a difficult situation. They obviously want Prescott to perform well and eventually lead the team deep into the playoffs. But the more that happens, the larger the check they’ll have to write for Prescott when it comes time to pay out his contract.
Already, there is a huge amount ahead: $59.4 million for 2024, part of the uncomfortable structure of Dak Prescott’s original four-year, $160 million contract from 2021. Only DeShaun Watson of the Browns has a higher salary. The Cowboys may save a lot of money by dealing Prescott (he’d have to waive his no-trade clause) or simply dismissing him before his pay kicks in in March.
But, according to ESPN Cowboys source Todd Archer, the franchise is still committed to keeping Prescott. However, the procedure could extend into the spring or beyond.
“Regardless of when something happens, with the way Prescott has played in the past three games (eight touchdown passes, one interception), it’s hard to see the Cowboys wanting to start over at the most important position,” Archer said in a statement.
Cowboys Must Save in New Dak Prescott Contract
Archer also stated that the Cowboys’ main objective in contract extension negotiations with Prescott is to minimize the $59.4 million commitment for 2024. The lower the number, the more money the team will have to spend on new players.
“Ideally, the Cowboys would sign him to an extension in the offseason to lower his cap number and allow the team to add more playmakers to the roster, but negotiations for his current deal took much longer than expected, and things could stretch out again.” It should be emphasized that Prescott’s current contract includes no-trade and no-franchise-tag clauses,” Archer said.
Prescott has a market value of $44.4 million per season, according to Spotrac. Prescott took a backloaded contract in his previous contract, giving the team greater upfront flexibility. The Cowboys could try to persuade Prescott to do the same this time, but the cost will be steep.
Jerry Jones: Dak will be in Dallas for a “Long Time.”
Before the season began, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones stated that the contract extension for Prescott would be something he would consider throughout the season. But he also stated that he expected Prescott to remain in Dallas for the foreseeable future.
Prescott is having one of his best seasons and has been particularly efficient recently. Despite playing behind a mediocre offensive line and having subpar performances from his Nos. 2 and 3 receivers, Prescott has a quarterback rating of 100.7, the third-highest of his career.
After leading the league with 15 interceptions in 2022, he has only thrown five this year, decreasing his INT percentage from 3.8% to 1.9%. As a result, the Dak Prescott contract is becoming more expensive.
“Those numbers on those contracts, those types of numbers, especially the big ones, you live with all the time, and they’re always on your mind.” “There’s never a time when it goes away because you have to make the whole thing fit,” Jones remarked on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas in September. “So it’s on my mind regarding a player decision in the middle of the year.” So it’s simply a fundamental. We anticipate Dak staying with us for a long period.”
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter for Heavy.com who focuses on the NBA and NFL. He has been writing for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the Sporting News’ lead NBA reporter. Deveney’s nonfiction books include “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley Became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.”More information on Sean Deveney
