FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott stated he doesn’t want a contract extension to be performed earlier than the season begins Sept. 8 towards the Cleveland Browns.
However does Prescott need it completed?
“I believe it says so much whether it is or if it is not,” Prescott stated Thursday. “However ‘nevertheless’ does not actually matter to me, to be trustworthy with you.”
What does it say if a deal is just not accomplished?
“Simply how folks really feel,” Prescott stated.
On Wednesday, proprietor and normal supervisor Jerry Jones was requested what extra he must see from Prescott to ensure that a deal to get performed.
“You would simply say, ‘If you have not seen it by now, you have not seen it,'” Jones stated. “I am such a fan of Dak’s and recognize the entire nice issues that everyone knows that’s there. And I recognize his work ethic greater than something out right here. I can not inform you how proud I’m that we have got him this yr to start out this marketing campaign. …
“Once you take a look at a state of affairs, you have additionally bought to weigh, ‘OK, what are the results of the opposite facet of the coin?’ And so Dak’s state of affairs proper now for me, from my mirror, has extra to do with our state of affairs than it does with the deserves of Dak Prescott being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.”
Prescott stated he understands Jones’ pondering.
“That is the enterprise and the character of this recreation that we play,” Prescott stated. “Yeah, I imply, I ended, truthfully, listening to issues that he says to the media a very long time in the past. Would not actually maintain weight with me.”
Prescott is ready to play on the ultimate yr of a four-year, $160 million deal he signed in 2021. He’s scheduled to make $29 million this season and rely $55 million towards the wage cap.
Inexperienced Bay’s Jordan Love, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow are the highest-paid quarterbacks at $55 million per season, adopted by Detroit’s Jared Goff at $53 million.
The Cowboys have had discussions with Prescott’s agent, Todd France, all through the summer season, however a deal doesn’t appear shut. Prescott stated it might be as much as France and the group if negotiations proceed into the common season, not him.
The Cowboys and France negotiated over a number of years earlier than their settlement in 2021. The Cowboys have solely a matter of months now as a result of they can’t place the franchise tag on Prescott after the season, which is able to permit him to hit the open market subsequent March.
If that occurs, Prescott will rely $40 million towards the Cowboys’ 2025 wage cap.
Prescott has stated on quite a few events he needs to stay with the Cowboys, however he has acknowledged there may very well be a future with him enjoying in one other uniform.
“I am tremendous blessed to play this recreation, to be in Yr 9, to really feel as I do, wholesome as I do, as assured as I’m, the expertise that I’ve had. I am blessed to play this recreation,” Prescott stated. “I am getting paid some huge cash to do it. I’ve already bought paid. To receives a commission once more, that is simply a part of it. I am due up for that whether or not it is signing right here or whether or not it is elsewhere that I do not care to consider at this second. It is all a part of it.
“For me, it is like I stated, it is about controlling what I can and being one of the best model of myself, finest chief and ensure all these guys in right here perceive that we’re on a mission. It isn’t about subsequent yr proper now. It isn’t about my contract. It isn’t about something however preparing for Sport 1 towards the Browns. Easy as that.”
He’s amongst a variety of key gamers, akin to Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence, about to enter the ultimate yr of their contracts. Mike McCarthy and all the teaching workers can be on the ultimate yr of their contracts.
“Truthfully, you gotta like it. You gotta embrace it,” Prescott stated. “That is the problem. As soon as once more, because the gamers and the coaches, [we] haven’t got the total say in whether or not we’re right here or not. It is about us controlling what we will. Proper now, it is about sticking collectively, making this locker room, embracing this tradition, embracing each other, not placing essentially strain on ourselves however understanding that this crew will not be the identical after this — whether or not it’s coaches, whether or not it’s the gamers, whether or not it’s a number of the key items. I simply doubt it will likely be the identical. And that is the enterprise of it. Yeah, it is now. Interval.”
