Getty The Cowboys regret not signing Dak Prescott sooner.
There is no shortage of opinions on what Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott should do when it comes to his negotiations with the franchise. Former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer believes Prescott should leave money on the table noting the quarterback can make up the money in endorsements. Palmer explained on Dallas’105.3 The Fan that Prescott “shouldn’t shoot for the moon” with his new deal since he is gaining notoriety as the face of the Cowboys franchise.
“I love Dak’s game,” Palmer said, per Radio.com. “I think he’s great. I think he shouldn’t shoot for the moon (on his next contract). Being the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, there’s a lot that comes with that financially. So, you don’t have to be the top-paid quarterback in the league. You can make as much as the top-paid quarterback in the league when you’re the Dallas Cowboys quarterback if you do take less.”
Palmer’s argument has some truth to it in that Prescott signing a less lucrative deal could help the Cowboys’ Super Bowl aspirations. Yet, every franchise faces the same dilemma of how to pay their quarterback top dollar while building a competitive roster around him. Given Prescott was underpaid for the majority of his career as a fourth-round selection, the Cowboys quarterback is likely viewing his next deal as an opportunity to gain as much long-term security as possible.
“Because, if you win in Dallas, look at today’s television networks,” Palmer continued. “You got Troy Aikman (Fox analyst), Jason Witten (former Monday Night Football analyst) and Tony Romo (CBS analyst) all on nationally televised games. Partially, because of their playing careers, but a majority of that is because they played for the Dallas Cowboys. They are a household name. You’ve seen Dak on tons of commercials and endorsements. You can make that same top-tier money if you’re Dak and you take a little bit less, and you keep all the players around you within the salary cap structure.”
Roger Staubach on Dak Prescott: ‘I Also Want to Make Sure He Is Surrounded With Really Good Players’
Palmer is sure to be criticized for his assessment, but he is not the only one who has discussed a similar idea. During a November 2020 interview with Heavy, legendary quarterback Roger Staubach advised Prescott to make sure the Cowboys can build a contender after he signs his deal.
“I don’t know if it’s the years or the money,” Staubach said. “If it’s the money, there’s only so much money I think they can distribute to the team. Again, I just hope that they get Dak signed because I personally really like Dak. I think he is a really great player, but I also want to make sure he is surrounded with really good players, too.”
Prescott & the Cowboys Could Be Heading Towards a Second Franchise Tag
With a little more than a month to go before the March 9 deadline, the Cowboys could be getting closer to using the franchise tag on Prescott for the second straight year. It is less than an ideal situation for either party, but the Cowboys are not going to want to risk Prescott hitting the open market if they cannot reach a contract agreement. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer predicts the Cowboys will once again use the tag on Prescott.
“Dak Prescott’s likely getting hit with the franchise tag for a second consecutive year,” Breer explained in his February 1 MMQB column.
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