The Dallas Cowboys will have to spend a lot of money to keep Dak Prescott long-term. But potentially not the most money.
Prescott spoke to reporters on Friday and revealed that contract negotiations with the team have not yet begun, but that he had a preliminary conversation with team owner Jerry Jones a few weeks ago. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. Then he said something strange:
“I’m not necessarily trying to be the best paid. I’m waiting for the negotiations to start and obviously want to put this team in the best situation.”
It’s not often that a player admits he’s not looking for the highest salary at his position, even though words may mean little when negotiations begin. His agent might not agree either.
If the Cowboys can’t figure out a Prescott extension, so can he didn’t sound afraid to look for another team:
“I’m not going to say I’m afraid to be here or not. I’m not afraid of either situation, to be honest with you. I love this game and I love to play and I love myself as a player and improving my teammates around me. Right now it’s where I want to be and where I am, and that’s the focus. After the season we’ll see where we are, yes, and or not, we’ll go from there. “
That may be a bit more cynical than Prescott has been in the past, as he said last month that he was “absolutely confident” a deal would happen.
Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals currently leads all NFL quarterbacks, and therefore all NFL players, with an average annual worth of $55 million per year, per OverTheCap. Right behind him are Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson ($52 million), then Jalen Hurts ($51 million). You’d think that’s the range Prescott is targeting despite another rough end to the season this year (it’s not like any of those four players have a Super Bowl ring, though Burrow and Hurts at least have the have reached the big game).
Prescott is entering the final season of the four-year, $160 million contract extension he signed in 2021. He’ll carry a cap hit of $55.1 million into 2024, a figure that looms large amid the team’s quiet offseason and the need for CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons extensions as well.
