Dallas Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones addressed ongoing contract negotiations with quarterback Dak Prescott in an interview with Stephen A. Smith Wednesday.
Jones expressed skepticism the crew might afford to re-sign Prescott to a brand new contract and have sufficient wage cap area to signal different key gamers.
Jones pointed to latest restructuring of contracts that can make sure the Cowboys need to proceed paying Prescott hundreds of thousands after this 12 months whether or not he re-signs or not. Prescott will rely $40 million in opposition to the crew’s wage cap in 2025 if he finally ends up on one other crew.
“Now we have the problem of not solely recouping what we’ve got spent on him over the past 4 years, we’ve gotta add that to what we’re gonna be paying him for the longer term,” Jones mentioned. “That’s not Dak’s downside on the top that it’s the Dallas Cowboys’ downside as a result of that cash just isn’t going to be there to spend on supporting forged.”
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Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys earlier than a sport in opposition to the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium Dec. 30, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (Cooper Neill/Getty Pictures)
In March, the Cowboys transformed Prescott’s $5 million roster bonus right into a signing bonus and added two extra voidable years. That transfer freed up $4 million in cap area this 12 months, pulling down his cap hit to $55.4 million. Nonetheless, that $4 million does not go away. It strikes to subsequent 12 months’s lifeless cap cash, which is now over $40 million in 2025, only for Prescott.
Now, Prescott, 31, figures to change into a free agent on the finish of this season whereas taking up a historic $55 million hit in opposition to the crew’s wage cap. However his subsequent annual wage might find yourself being even larger.
Prescott’s subsequent contract might find yourself being extra profitable than these signed by Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who each signed for 5 years and $275 million. These contracts are tied for essentially the most profitable in NFL historical past.
For Jones, one other Prescott contract might create critical issues for his crew’s wage cap. He stays optimistic his crew could make it work, however he isn’t sure.
The crew simply re-signed huge receiver CeeDee Lamb to a record-breaking four-year, $136 million contract extension. Star linebacker Micah Parsons is developing on the final base 12 months of his rookie contract this season and will change into the recipient of the primary $200 million contract for a non-quarterback in NFL historical past.
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Dallas Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones walks off the sector after warmups previous to a sport in opposition to the Washington Commanders at FedEx Subject. (Geoff Burke/USA At present Sports activities)
“We gotta ask ourselves, can we’ve got the sort of success that Dak deserves, we deserve, his teammates deserve, our followers deserve? Can we do this and get within the vary to afford Dak?” Jones requested. “I believe we are able to.”
Prescott instructed reporters Aug. 29 he typically disregards no matter Jones says when requested in regards to the proprietor’s latest feedback a few potential contract extension or a substitute technique for the quarterback.
“I ended, actually, listening to issues (Jerry Jones) says to the media a very long time in the past. It doesn’t actually maintain weight with me,” Prescott mentioned.
Prescott’s response got here when he was requested about feedback Jones had made a day earlier when Jones was requested in regards to the state of contract negotiations.
“Dak’s scenario proper now for me has extra to do with our scenario than it does with the deserves of Dak Prescott being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys,” Jones instructed reporters.
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Troy Aikman, left, talks with Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys earlier than a sport in opposition to the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium Nov. 22, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Pictures)
Jones was additionally requested if the crew had a “Plan B” for Prescott, for the reason that crew has no quarterback beneath contract in 2025.
“Contracts is not the end-all resolution, and a number of the greatest selections that I have been part of with the Cowboys have been once we did not have contracts by some means, with a participant on our crew or another crew,” Jones mentioned.
When Prescott was approaching the top of his rookie contract forward of the 2019 season, the 2 sides have been working towards an extension earlier than he was set to hit free company that summer season. However no deal was reached earlier than the beginning of the season. Then Prescott had his greatest season statistically in 2019 with profession highs in passing yards and touchdowns.
Jones didn’t re-sign Prescott throughout the 2020 offseason, and the crew used its franchise tag on him that 12 months. Prescott solely performed in 5 video games that season earlier than struggling a season-ending compound fracture and dislocation of his proper ankle in opposition to the Giants in Week 5. The Cowboys stumbled to a 6-10 file with out their quarterback. Then, Jones signed Prescott to his present deal in March 2021.
As soon as once more, Prescott is coming off one of the best season of his profession in 2023. He threw for a league-leading 36 landing passes and a career-best 105.9 passer score and completed second within the MVP voting.
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