While much of the discussion surrounding Dak Prescott‘s next contract has been focused on AAV and guaranteed money, the length of the contract is also of particular interest to the quarterback. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys quarterback may prefer a short-term deal.
As Fowler explains, there’s an expectation that the salary cap will see a significant jump thanks to an extra week of the regular season plus newfound gambling money. Therefore, Prescott is looking to hit free agency again so he can capitalize on that adjustment to the cap, and that means he might prefer a two- or three-year pact.
This is a bit different than how the Cowboys normally operate, as the front office has traditionally handed out longer contracts to their key players. We saw that last year when they signed Ezekiel Elliott to a six-year agreement, and we also saw it when the inked Amari Cooper to a five-year deal earlier this offseason.
We heard last week that there was a belief that Prescott would emerge from negotiations as the NFL’s highest-paid player. From an average-annual-value standpoint, the 26-year-old could still accomplish that. Russell Wilson‘s $35MM-AAV deal remains the NFL’s high-water mark. If Prescott plays next season under the franchise tag, he’ll be making around $33MM per year.
He better cash in now because in a few years he will totally be exposed as a mediocre QB.
Its already been 4 years and its clear that he’s above average. What more do people like you need to see?
A lot more.
Great explanation dugdog!
For him to show up when he plays against elite competition
Above average isn’t saying much these days. And in the same sentence people want to talk about him be the highest paid player? Hard pass.
Winning games that matter if he is trying to be the highest paid player ever.
Question is…. Is he a top 10 qb. Ok who’s better? How about Rodgers, Wilson, Brady, Watson, Brees, Stanford, Murray, Rothlisberger, Mayfield possibly also Wentz, Cousins, Garrapolo, Josh Allen
He plays in the NFC East maybe see Dak and Dunk beat some quality teams instead of high school equivalent teams. But count me among those that would love to see Jerruh hamstring the team with Dak and Dunk for years.
Dak Prescott is basically Joe Flacco. He is a good quarterback, but once you pay him like a great quarterback your team is destined for mediocrity. If you goal is to be competitive but not able to win a super bowl pay him.
Let’s be realistic here, Baltimore is a really good team. Their general manager is one of the best in the business. They have not broke 8-8 since signing Flacco to that huge deal. I think the cowboys could do better than that but we’ll just see a repeat of history for our past 25 years without a super bowl. A really good team that isn’t great.
It’s his track record against good teams. He cherry picks huge stats off poor teams. Great example is not beating Eagles to win division. He is still improving and I think a solid leader. He should in no way expect to be highest paid , I think anything more than 30 million a yr is over paying . Sign a 2-3 year deal for 30 per. Win some big games, win some playoff games continue to improve. Then a bigger pay day will be earned.
Yes he has.
I’m a few years he’ll be 100 million dollars richer.
Exactly.
yeah right
1 year is too long-term.
I could say the same thing for that Wentz extension
Wentz has a ring and an mvp ceiling
And he still sucks
Yeah that guy really sucks. You mean the guy who carried an offense full rec players to beat Dallas when it mattered?
The guy who was the unanimous MVP in 2017 before he got hurt?
Yeah, that guy sucks
yup th hat the guy that sucks!!!!
Most Vulnerable Player?
Wentz has never completed a playoff game. His ring means about as much as any backup qbs
The ring comment is a JOKE. Dak being paid that kind of $$$ is a joke. Dak is mediocre at best. No weapons , no $$$. Unfortunately that is how it is in the NFL.
Every quarterback in the league would be mediocre without weapons. That’s a terrible argument
“Every quarterback in the league would be mediocre without weapons”
Carson Wentz on line 1
Who won him that ring? He didnt because he is injury prone.
King b, the great Nick Foles won that ring. Wentz and the equipment manager got one too.
I suppose you think it was nobody else but Nick Foles right
correct
ASSuming I’m an Eagles fan.
At least he’s better than Wentz
Sure he is
Say whatever you want about Wentz, but with a playoff birth on the line, both his starting tackles on IR, and a practice squad player (Greg Ward) as his #1 WR Wentz punked Dak Prescott to make the tournament.
I’m all for a 1 year deal for Duk. Fools Gold
I didn’t know Dak played defense or controlled injuries for the Eagles?
But we do know Dak played quarterback and couldn’t score a touchdown
And we do know that the Cowboys weren’t going to win in the playoffs anyway because of the mediocre redhead coach and the culture he was allowed to create. Only stupid Eagles fans would find reasons to justify that Carson Wentz deserved that ring and isn’t the spare that he is.
Right. Us “stupid eagles fans” believe that Wentz had absolutely zero to do with the Eagles steamrolling the league that year to a number 1 seed. And we most certainly believe it was all Nick Foles and no one else that won that super bowl.
“We do know the cowboys weren’t going to win in the playoffs anyway because of the mediocre red headed coach and the culture he was allowed to create”
Wow. That has to be one of the lamest excuses I’ve ever heard. Delusional.
Sure blame the coach and not the pro bowl players who couldn’t get the job done
And now they’ve got Mike McCarthy. Good luck with that. Aaron Rogers and the Packers got to the NFC championship when they got rid of McCarthy!
So what excuse will it be next year?
It’s just the truth pal. Any realistic fan could see that. He’s the only coach to ever ice his own kicker. What’s delusional is you trying to convince yourself that Carson Wentz would have led the Eagles to win the super bowl that year. The numbers prove that Dak is a better player than Wentz. Better completion %, better passer rating, and a lot more durable. And don’t give me the bs about better o line and weapons because the Eagles have had just as good an o line and maybe even more weapons. I don’t know what to expect for next year but I do know one thing…the Cowboys will still have more Super Bowls than the suckass Eagles and their dipshit sorry fan base
Clearly you didn’t watch Wentz’ level of play before he got hurt. I’m not saying he would’ve led them to that super bowl because nobody would’ve known. But if you honestly believe he “wouldn’t have” based on your delusional opinions, whatever helps you sleep better. As a football fan, i would say he would’ve had as good as shot as anyone to take them to that super bowl based on his level of play that year
“Better completion percentage, better passer rating”. Those numbers are not by much and considering Dak has played 8 more games
“Maybe even more weapons”. You’re kidding right?
Sure he had Goedert and Ertz but he had Greg Ward and Boston Scott to Amari Cooper and Zeke. Stop it
“The cowboys will still have more Super Bowls than the suckles Eagles and their dipshit fan base”. I was waiting for that one. The last, pathetic comeback every Dallas fan uses when they try to justify their point. Continue bringing up the past my friend. Cowboy fans sure like to live in it because there isn’t much to like about the present or the future
Hey bud you would use that pathetic comeback too if you could but you can’t. Wentz was playing good until he got hurt but he got hurt and as we both know playing better later in the season and into the playoffs is what really counts and staying healthy Is part of a player’s evaluation. You can’t tell me without a doubt that Wentz is better than Dak when you compare every single aspect of the position. I would accept an argument saying they’re even but Wentz should be better and he’s not. What’s funny to me is that the one Super Bowl y’all finally miraculously won has to be justified by Eagles fans for some reason because the quarterback got hurt. I guess y’all are just so used to being losers that it’s ingrained into your systems. And I dont understand how you can call some my opinions delusional without saying the same thing about some of your opinions.
“I guess ya’ll are just losers that it’s ingrained into your systems”. That’s funny coming from a team and a fan base that hasn’t played a meaningful football game since 1995; that has to keep bring up “we have more Super Bowls than you” to make themselves feel better.
I’m not saying Wentz is better in every aspect of the position. All I’m saying is that when the bell rings and it’s game time, I’ll take Wentz. And that’s my opinion as a football fan, not a homer fan.
I do not believe Dak is a mediocre or an average quarterback. He puts up impressive numbers and has won himself some games.
If he wants top money, pay the kid. All I’m saying is that if and when he gets top money, do us all a favor and prove us wrong
Dak and Wentz have each won one playoff game. Dak also beat the great Russell Wilson in that game. Dak isn’t great, but, honestly, aside from his injury shortened 2017 season, Wentz isn’t great, either. They both are good but definitely in the second tier.
Yet when all Dak had to due was beat Wentz , who had no starting receivers, and be in playoffs. Dak has a pretty bad track record against playoff teams. 30 million a yr for Dak more than fair.
Dallas is going to have a really hard time if they have the highest paid QB, highest paid RB and third highest paid WR. Only zeke is possibly the best at his position. I don’t think Dak gets 35 on the open market- I think he’s in the upper part of the middle tier of QBs personally. I wonder if the rams had to do it all over again, would they sign Goff for 32+ mill a year?
Don’t forget their overpriced DE, who “almost” gets sacks, and of course the Rams wish they had a mulligan for the Goff deal, he was a donut without a healthy Gurley last season and the same fate will meet Prescott. Dallas has already lost their best DB (Jones), the dominos will continue to fall, and Prescott is dependent on his supporting cast. He’s not an elite talent like Brees/Brady/Rodgers/Mahomes that can make players around him better. Dallas window is closing extremely fast. I wish they’d have rolled the dice on Brady for 2 seasons personally. It worked for Denver with Manning.
I like Prescott. He tough and a leader but the fact remains that he’s not an accurate QB. In the NFL if you can’t consistently spot the ball on the dime you cannot sustain drives and therefore you don’t win. Last year was the biggest example of that. He had a lot of yards yet drives weren’t sustained due to 3rd and 8 throwing the ball 5 feet over the head of a wide open receiver. They didn’t win while paying him 750k a year how are they going to win paying him 35+ million. What a joke!
They were #2 in the NFL last season in 3rd down conversion rate with Dak also completing over 65% of his passes and the #1 in total offense. Why don’t you talk about how the Cowboys receivers led the league in dropped passes as the explanation for Daks inaccuracy?
FYI, the cowboys did not lead the league in dropped passes last year….
Cowboys were tied for 4th with 24 dropped passes. Dolphins led the league with 28, while the Eagles were tied for 9th with 19 drops. The Falcons, amazingly, had just 7 drops (with the Rams having 10 and 4 teams, including the Redskins, had 13).
65% is better than average. I give him that. If he were on a Teddy Bridgewater contract… 3/60 fine. He isn’t highest paid in the league worthy. Hasn’t won anything and I’d wager he won’t.
I don’t think he can carry a team by himself but I could see him make a deep run in the post season with the right pieces around him, some of which he has already. I feel like the jury is still out on what he is or will be. Having said that…I probably would be on your side of the wager.
It’s hard to know what’s he’s really worth because he’s been lucky enough to play behind a great offensive line with a really good running back and a decent group of receivers.
Prescott is worth it in my book. I just wish he would take less so they could have as good of a D# as they do a O#.
This has become the best “nothing is happening” saga since Coronation Street and it feels like it has being running just as long.
Sign the deal already. You don’t deserve it and I’m done reading about it
Two years ago, Matt Ryan got a 5 year $150MM contract. I don’t remember so much gnashing of teeth and hand wringing at that time, even though no one would argue that Ryan was the best QB at the time.
Now we have a 4 year starter with an expired contract, which itself is a rarity. How many QBs have started every single game of their first 4 years in the league? And have become a FA because they weren’t drafted in the first round?
I know a lot of Cowboy fans, as opposed to the Cowboy haters, are upset that Prescott hasn’t lived up to his Fourth Round draft position. That he is ONLY one of the most highly statistically ranked QBs in the NFL. After all, he is 26 years old, when is he going to get his team to a SB? He’s had ample time to do something, anything in this league. Trade him for a couple of those sure thing draft picks. Maybe we can draft someone better like Connor Cook, Cody Kessler, Jacoby Brissett, Christian Hackenberg (a second rounder), or Paxton Lynch (a first rounder): all of whom were drafted ahead of Prescott.
But hey, it’s about the contract he’s about to sign. Surely he isn’t comparable to Jared Goff who signed a 4 year $134MM extension, which included an NFL record $110 MM guaranteed just seven months ago. Yeah, Dak is better than Goff, and before you talk about Goff getting his team (or his team getting him?) to a SB, look at Goff’s SB performance which was one of the worst of all time. Surely he isn’t as good as Carson Wentz, but I’d argue that they’ve been similarly successful in their short careers. Wentz didn’t take his team to the SB, the great Nick Foles did. Wentz started 16 games both last year and in his rookie year, but started 24 out of 32 in the two intervening years. Wentz, per Spotrac, is being paid $32MM per year, less than Goff’s $33.5MM per year.
Prescott is going to make more than Goff or Wentz. Maybe Cowboy fans can complain that they took too long to sign him, as opposed to getting a bit of a discount like the Eagles did. Fair enough. But save the BS about trading him for a couple of draft choices. He is a well above average NFL QB: you don’t replace him with a total unknown draft choice. The hit rate on drafted QBs is poor. And no, Cam Newton is not an adequate replacement: Newton had his one career year getting his team to the SB. Every other year has been worse than Prescott’s average career numbers.
Wentz and Prescott are very similar in their abilities and success. Both teams are lucky to have them. Is Prescott the QB that led his team to a 37-10 thrashing of the Eagles in the first game last year? Or is he the QB that lost 17-9 late in the year? He was healthy the first game, but had an injured throwing shoulder going into the second game. Also, Cooper was hurt for much of the year (knee/ankle), yet put up great numbers.
Prescott is better than Ryan. He’s way better than Goff. And Dak Prescott is every bit as good as Wentz. Pay him his $35MM per for as many years as you can extend him and be thankful you have a quality QB.
“Wentz didn’t take his team to the super bowl, the great Nick Foles did”
Aren’t you forgetting Doug Pederson?
Yea those guys are making that much because their teams were dumb enough to give them that much. He is most likely better than Goff and about the same as Wentz, but is he better than Rodgers ($33.5 million a year), Brady ($25 million a year), or Brees ($25 million a year)? Also, you assume he is only wanting $35 million, but would have to be more than that for the highest AAV (which most are saying he wants). They just lost the best Center in the league to retirement, and they couldn’t win paying him & Zeke far less than what their current contracts are. Why waste money on Dak for him to not win a SB? They got lucky getting him late in the draft, but so did NE with Brady and Brady has never been the highest paid player in the league.
Maybe it’s because he knows you have to have money to pay other players to make your TEAM better.
They should’ve put the regular tag on Dak this year, and if someone wanted to take him for big time money and forfeit 2-1st round picks then let them. If not he could’ve showed if he can actually win meaningful games, and if nothing else tag him again the following year. It would’ve netted out to less than $35 million per year.
In 2020, much less 2022 or 2023, Prescott is a better quarterback than Brady, Rogers, or Brees. You pay him and move on. Prescott’s agents want to keep the number of years low, so he can negotiate another contract after the salary cap goes up (projected to go way up). You can’t expect to hit on some draft choice. If it were that easy, every NFL would have a great QB.
The fact that you think he is a better QB than any of them for 2020 shows how much you know. I’d give you he’d be better than Brady & Brees in ’22 & ’23, but at the moment he apparently does not want a contract that would for sure put him in Dallas for ’23 so that year is not a factor (no chance he is better than Rodgers for any of those years). In the end a SB is all that matters, and him getting paid that much and not being an elite QB or a true leader (along with 4 others taking up 50% of the cap in Dallas) will prevent them from putting a SB contender on the field.
Going back to what you said about Matt Ryan, they did give him the top end money and they have done nothing since then. The same thing will happen to Dallas if they give Dak the money he is seeking. They won’t have money to build around him. Let him hit the open market next year and see if he can get $36 million per year.
Prescott had a better QB Rating than 2 of the 3 in 2019. You think that any of these guys are getting better with age? Brees had another quality year in 2020, but he’s 41, is he going to get better or worse? Rodgers is NOT the QB he was from 2009-2016. He doesn’t look anything like that dude, and doesn’t strike fear in his opponents like he used to. Brady will miss the NE system, and good luck with his production going forward after turning 43.
You won’t be able to replace Dak with some FA or draft choice. The window will close and you’ll have nothing but cap savings to show for it.
Better than Rodgers? WOW EARM! Can you name the current QB’s above him? Please? You must believe he’s top 3-5. I’m I correct? If so please stop referring to him as “above avg” in your posts, you can refer to him as elite.
Dak Prescott threads are endlessly entertaining if nothing else.
Yes, Prescott is better than Rodgers right now. Not the Aaron Rodgers that was a generational talent a half dozen years or more ago. That guy (who constantly broke my heart) no longer exists. Rodgers might have gotten to the NFC Championship game last year, but it was his fourth straight poor performance in that game, with six touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 78.0 passer rating in those contests. GB won the NFCC game in 2010 despite AR, but they’ve lost the last 3, getting shellacked in the last 2 (’16 & ’19). The man is no longer a god, but just an above average QB, similar to Dak. The difference is that DP is getting better, while AR is declining.
You didn’t answer my question Earm. Please list your top 5 or 10 current NFL QB’s. In order. Please
I’m a bit old for homework, and don’t do dog tricks upon command. Do your own list.
Good talk Earm.
Yes a better QB rating last year. His team has unquestionably gotten worse by losing Travis & Witten. The other QBs are what they have been and will be the same next year, but they are getting better players around them that will increase their production. Brees adds a good WR in Sanders to go along with what he already had. Brady gets a greatly improved amount of weapons (goes from Edleman/a decent running game/??? to Evans/Godwin/Howard/Brate). Rodgers should finally get a #2 WR in the draft along with their good running game which will make him better as well.
And what window are you referring to? It’s not like they have made deep playoff runs, and that was when you were paying some of their top guys hardly anything. Does Dak all of a sudden get better after losing his All-Pro center, safety blanket Witten, the team having less financial flexibility to add stuff around him, and most likely changing his offensive system while having reduced OTAs to pick everything up? Will he be better than those 3 guys mentioned in 5 years, well I surely hope so since they all will probably be retired. But that’s not the question, the question is can he win a SB with the way the team currently stands? My answer would be no, and if that’s the case why would you pay him to keep the team playing well but not great. You are better off trying to come up with another way to reach that goal. If it is trading Dak, paying Winston, and adding some better players to the defense with the extra cap & draft capital than so be it. If it is trying to find someone in this draft class or the next then why not. Most drafted QBs fail because they 1) simply aren’t as good as advertised, 2) are on their butt for half the game because their oline is terrible which then force them into bad habits like not letting plays develop or not stepping into passes like they should, or 3) they have no weapons around them to take the pressure off. Dallas currently has 2 & 3 covered already, so if they wanted to draft Jordan Love this year and let Dak walk next year that could be a solution. They could let Dak test the market next year, him not find what the $36 million or whatever he wants and could sign him to a lower deal. He can be replaced (even though it would not be ideal), because he has not shown to be irreplaceable or elite.
Yeah, sorry, Dallas didn’t get worse by losing Witten. He’s turning 38 and is coming off his worst season. Which is the problem with Rodgers and Brady. They’re old (AR) and ancient (TB) and have been in decline. Why is NE moving on from TB, if as you say “the other QBs are what they have been and will be the same next year, but they are getting better players around them that will increase their production”? Brees at 41 seems to be the exception (deal with the devil?) because though he’s throwing much less, he still has been SOOO good the last 2 years. However, Brees isn’t available for ’20 and will be retired thereafter.
Frederick was a big loss, but Dallas still has a very strong OL even without him (studs at the other 4 spots), and returning vets to cover TF’s spot. Their window is open due to the OL, Dak, Zeke, Cooper, Gallup, D Law, LVE, Jaylon, Cheeto, etc. That window won’t be open by the time some rookie gets his act together, which may never happen. For every Mahomes, there are dozens of draft busts at QB. And getting a stud QB at #17 is far from an exact science. Draft a DE (again far from an exact science) and a stud CB (much easier to find) and roll with a veteran lineup. I’m more confident in DP than Jordan Love or anyone else who might be available at #17. And more than any other year, it’s a mystery as to how the first round will unfold. You let DP walk and Dallas’ window will slam shut. They are a playoff team as currently constructed.
I agree with you Earm, playoffs were expanded today, 8-8/9-7 next season most likely make Dallas a playoff team. That’s all we can hope for these days, wildcard round and then start to make vacation plans.
Yes, I heard on the playoffs. I disagree on the outcome. History has shown that when you get into the playoffs, anything can happen. Eli Manning (hardly an “elite” QB) proved that twice: the NYG’s weren’t a juggernaut in their last two SB winning seasons. They got hot in the latter part of the season and ran the table. There’s a lot of parity out there. A couple of breaks and you’re suddenly on a roll.
He is not as good as Ryan, but I give you the other two.
They really should just let him go after this season it sound like he really doesn’t want to be there no more just draft a qb . And Dallas is my favorite but I can’t take this all and more.why overpaid him pass this season
Dang with zeke cooper taking all that money and dak wants so much .they won’t have enough money to pay ever one I see not making the playoffs for years .just like this past season how could they not make it last year it’s bs and a lot of loser on that team.
Dang this was hard to read.
A lil bit but I should had read it before I post it sorry.
I’m just still piss off,that they didn’t make the playoffs last year.
And now what they have to pay a qb wr and running back.
They will never see the super bowl for decades to come..