Dak Prescott Exposes ‘Sticking Point’ in Cowboys Contract Talks: Report

Another day, another Dak Prescott update.

The Dallas Cowboys and their impending free-agent quarterback are engaged in negotiations regarding a new, extremely lucrative contract. By several insider accounts, there has been recent activity, unthawing months of stalled talks, but the sides aren’t out of the hypothetical woods just yet.

Per NFL Network’s Jane Slater, “the sticking point still seems to be the years” on the Cowboys’ proposal; whereas Prescott prefers a shorter-term deal (four years), the club likes its extensions to span a half-decade, if not longer.

On the plus side, sources informed of the situation relayed to Slater, the guarantees in Dallas’ latest offer have increased from the $105 million they initially floated to Dak’s camp at last month’s Scouting Combine. It’s likely the average annual value (AAV), too, went up from the $33 million that Prescott rejected during the 2019 season.

The two-time Pro Bowl passer, under this scenario, would surpass Los Angeles QB Jared Goff, who inked a four-year, $134 million contract — $33.5 million per year — with an NFL-record $110 million guaranteed. Slater, though, couldn’t nail down whether Prescott would be eclipsing Goff in AAV, total money, length of years, or guaranteed cash.

“It’s above the Goff deal,” was all she was told.

But this corroborates Monday’s report from ESPN beat writer Todd Archer, who claimed the Cowboys’ increased offer would “at least” be in the ballpark of Goff and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, who’s making $33.5 million annually on a four-year, $134 million deal which included $98.2 million in guarantees ($78.7 million fully guaranteed at signing) and a $57.5 million signing bonus.

Slater’s scoop also echoed that of ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, who recently reported the 26-year-old could opt for a short-term agreement, culminating in a massive windfall now and the opportunity to re-test the open market later, before he turns 30.

“One source suggested that Prescott might prefer to do a shorter-term deal than the traditional long Cowboys deal that allows them to keep restructuring for cap relief. If Prescott signed a Kirk Cousins-style three-year deal, for example, he’d hit free agency again at age 29. Prescott might also be waiting to see whether the Texans extend Deshaun Watson this offseason, and then he could work off of that deal if it establishes new quarterback standards.”

Barring accord on a new contract, the Cowboys are prepared to slap the exclusive franchise tag on Prescott, who’d earn roughly $33 million for 2020. The deadline to assign the tag is March 16, the same day the league’s legal tampering period begins. During this 48-hour window, deals can be agreed to in principle but not formally signed until March 18, the official kickoff to unrestricted free agency.

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