By Dianna Russini, Saad Yousuf, Jon Machota and Amos Morale III
Dak Prescott shall be in a Dallas Cowboys uniform past the 2024 NFL season.
The Cowboys and their beginning quarterback agreed to phrases on a multiyear contract extension hours earlier than Dallas opens its season towards the Cleveland Browns, making the three-time Professional Bowler the highest-paid participant in league historical past. The extension is for 4 years and value as much as $240 million, per a league supply.
Prescott, 31, is coming off of among the best seasons of his profession final 12 months spending a lot of the season as a league MVP candidate. He began each common season sport main the Cowboys to a 12-5 report whereas compiling a career-high 69.5 completion proportion for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
Prescott earned second-team All-Professional honors and completed second in MVP voting.
However Dallas’ 2023 season got here to a disappointing finish within the playoffs with a 48-32 loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the NFC Wild Card spherical, resulting in amplified questions on Prescott’s future. His contract was set to run out after the 2024 season, together with the Cowboys being unable to make use of the franchise tag on the passer.
On Aug. 15, Prescott instructed reporters he felt assured a deal would get carried out.
“Good conversations are happening, I’ll say that,” he mentioned. “A whole lot of good issues are happening there. A whole lot of confidence. I’ve confidence in my guys and these guys getting one thing carried out.”
Prescott inked a four-year, $160 million extension in 2021. He has spent his total profession in Dallas after the Cowboys chosen him with a fourth-round choose within the 2016 NFL Draft. He went on to begin 16 video games (out of 16) for Dallas, main it to a 13-3 report and incomes offensive Rookie of the 12 months honors.
He’s been firmly entrenched because the Cowboys’ starter, exterior of his absences through the 2020 and 2022 seasons as a consequence of accidents.
How Dak obtained the huge deal
Most assumed a Prescott extension would come down on the outset of the offseason. As a substitute, Dallas waited your complete spring and summer time and at last obtained a deal carried out a couple of hours earlier than its opener towards the Browns. The deal, coming in at $60 million common annual worth, is what most anticipated it might be.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Packers quarterback Jordan Love lately signed offers this offseason at $55 million AAV, however Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was already at that quantity along with his deal earlier than this offseason, in order that set the ground for Prescott.
The Cowboys’ quarterback had all the leverage — a no-trade clause, no franchise tag clause, a weak quarterback free company class in 2025 and a comparatively weak quarterback draft class in 2025. He was ready to make use of it to get the deal that felt inevitable for some time. — Saad Yousuf, Cowboys author
Teaching modifications coming?
Dallas proprietor Jerry Jones mentioned a number of occasions this offseason he was “all in” on the 2024 season. After not doing a lot in free company, most scratched their head. So, if he wasn’t “all in” on bettering the roster, he gave the impression to be suggesting that he was “all in” if issues don’t go effectively, and he would make main modifications.
These modifications could possibly be on the two most essential spots — quarterback and coach. However there aren’t any modifications at quarterback no matter what occurs this season with Prescott’s deal carried out. So, in the long run, Jones made CeeDee Lamb the second-highest-paid non-quarterback and Prescott the highest-paid participant in league historical past.
The largest query that may be requested with each offers is why didn’t these get carried out sooner. Possibly a brand new Mike McCarthy contract is subsequent. — Jon Machota, Cowboys author
Required studying
(Photograph: Cooper Neill / Getty Pictures)
