The Cowboys are tangled up in a messy contract situation with quarterback Dak Prescott, and they have no one to blame but themselves. Here's a breakdown of how things got so complicated and what could happen next:
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Starting the Mess: The trouble began when the Cowboys didn’t extend Dak’s contract after his third season. They let him play out his final year on a rookie deal and then placed him under the franchise tag.
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Big Contract, Bigger Problems: Finally, they gave him a four-year, $160 million contract, realizing they were on the brink of losing him like the Redskins did with Kirk Cousins. This deal was structured to force renegotiation after three seasons, and now that time has come.
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Current Standstill: The Cowboys are back at the negotiating table, but nothing is happening. As of now, Dak has a $55.4 million cap charge in 2024 and another $54 million in dead money looming for 2025. They need to redo the deal to lower the cap hit so they can extend key players like CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. Dak knows this and is leveraging it to his advantage, making it clear that business is business.
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What’s Next?: The stalemate could continue into the season and maybe even beyond. The Cowboys think Dak wants more than anyone else would pay him. They might have to test that theory. After the season, other teams might make offers, and Dak will decide whether to take the best one from Dallas or move on.
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My Guess: I think once the Cowboys see what other teams are willing to offer, they’ll sweeten their deal. Dak might end up taking less to stay in Dallas than he could get elsewhere.
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A Crucial Caveat: Dak’s agents will need to explore other options well before the 52-hour negotiating window. His contract voids before the franchise-tag deadline, which would hit the Cowboys with a massive cap hit in 2025. If they extend him before that, the damage can be minimized.
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Possible Outcomes: There’s a chance the Cowboys might cave and give Prescott what he wants. There's also a chance that Dak, even with maximum leverage, might bend a little. But right now, it looks like we're headed for a high-stakes game of contract chicken the moment the Cowboys' 2024 season ends. Until a deal is done, there's a real possibility Prescott could end up with another team.
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