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The 2020 NFL regular season is behind us and with the Cowboys missing out on the postseason, the focus in Dallas now turns to Dak Prescott contract negotiations. While we saw plenty of back-and-forth drama between owner and general manager Jerry Jones and Prescott this past offseason it may reach a new level this time around.
You could argue that Prescott may have still been the best quarterback in the NFC East on just one leg this season after suffering a compound fracture to his ankle in Week 5, which should play to his advantage when it comes to contract talks. After Carson Wentz forgot how to throw a football this season, Prescott is without a doubt the most talented QB in the division.
Jones knows Prescott is the best overall quarterback in the NFC East which gives him leverage in the negotiations arena.
“I don’t know how [he] could have any more leverage,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.
“His evolving into an NFL quarterback has been nothing short of a perfect picture,” Jones said. “You wouldn’t offer Dak what we offered in the past if you’d not thought he was very special. The issue is, how do you come together? And that’s no stranger to me. I’ve been doing it all my life, putting things together. We’ve got to get it together.
We have a certain amount, period, that can be paid to players every year,” Jones said. “It’s a very competitive thing, and the longer the term, the more flexibility you’ve got in any numbers that you have in a contract.”
Prescott and the Cowboys weren’t able to come to terms on a new contract last offseason so the former Mississippi State standout played on the franchise tag at $31.4 million. The Cowboys could go that same route, play him on the franchise tag again in 2021, but he would get a pay bump to $37.7 million. Prescott reportedly turned down a five-year, $175 million contract offer last offseason.
Last season was a situation in which Dallas didn’t bet on Prescott, but instead, Prescott bet on himself playing on a one-year franchise tag. He was en route to putting up big-time numbers as well before suffering his injury.
One thing to take into consideration here is that with NFL revenue down due to the pandemic, the salary cap could drop as much as 11% next season which makes it that much more difficult when it comes to contract negotiations for players around the league.
Dallas needs to invest on the defensive side of the football on top of signing Prescott to a new deal.
The drama is never lacking within the Cowboys organization and the 2021 offseason should be no different.