Dak Prescott – Cowboys Finally Made Smart Move
After years of negotiations going nowhere, the Dallas Cowboys finally smartened up and paid Dak Prescott what he’s worth.
Third time is the charm.
This is the case for Dak Prescott. After two offseasons of seeing long-term negotiations die on the proverbial vine, he finally come through. The Dallas Cowboys and Prescott agreed on a four-year, $160 million deal with $126 million in guarantees. Both the annual value and guaranteed money rank second all-time, sitting behind Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Yet none of this came easy for the former fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State. After starting and playing well the first two years of his career, Prescott went into the third year of his rookie deal and won a division and a playoff game over Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. No extension in the following offseason, the first time he was eligible.
Then, in 2019, Prescott threw for more than 4,900 yards and 30 touchdowns. Dallas plummeted as a team, though, and didn’t make the playoffs in a forgettable NFC East. The offseason came, and so did the franchise tag. Prescott took the risk of betting on himself, and shattered his ankle.
Now, with the looming Spector of being tagged again and both sides going down an ugly, expensive road, the Cowboys finally blinked. Dallas keeps Prescott without having to give him a whopping $37 million on the tag, essentially blowing up any hopes of improving the squad. Due to the contract’s structure, Prescott counts for only $22.2 million on the sheet in 2021, providing room for owner/general manager Jerry Jones to maneuver without having to shove bad money into the future with restructures.
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With cost certainty at quarterback, the Cowboys can begin working to fix one of the league’s worst defenses. Perhaps Jones can start by finding a few cornerbacks, including one to replace Byron Jones, who left in free agency last offseason for the Miami Dolphins. Dallas will have a slew to pick from in the first round, including Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley.
The offense is now secure with Prescott at the controls, Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb on the outside. Meanwhile the offensive line will hopefully returning healthier for this campaign.
Dallas still has ample work ahead of it, but inking Prescott to a long-term deal was a critical step towards getting back into the playoffs.
