Getty Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott
Tad Prescott, outspoken (if meddlesome) brother of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, affirmed what was unconfirmed regarding long-term negotiations between team and player.
“Heard @DanGrazianoESPN say on @GetUpESPN that @dak could have taken a Goff or Wentz like contract last year., Those 2 both were offered 4yr extensions, @dak was being offered 5,” Prescott tweeted Tuesday.
That Dallas failed to lock down Dak prior to last July’s deadline wasn’t for a lack of effort. The two-time Pro Bowler was floated various proposals from the front office, all of which were declined, including a final offer that included $110 million in guarantees and averaged roughly $34.5 million per year.
The guaranteed money would have tied Prescott with Goff ($110 million) while the annual salary would have surpassed Goff ($33.5 million) and Carson Wentz ($32 million), trailing only Patrick Mahomes ($45 million), Deshaun Watson ($39 million) and Russell Wilson ($35 million).
But the issue, as Tad cemented, revolved around the length of the would-be deal rather than the overall worth. Prescott, 26 at the time, wanted a four-year arrangement in order to re-test the market when he’s 30 whereas the Cowboys held firm for a five-year commitment, allowing them to better allocate the massive salary-cap hits.
This culminated in Prescott betting on himself, playing the 2020 campaign on his fully-guaranteed $31.4 million franchise tag before ideally running things back — his way — the following offseason. That plan hit a pothole in October when Prescott suffered a right ankle compound fracture and dislocation which requires 4-6 months of rehabilliation.
Despite the gruesome injury, the Cowboys maintain every intention to retain Prescott. The sides are permitted to resume negotiations as next month’s legal tampering period approaches. If a multi-year pact cannot be agreed to or compromise cannot be met, Prescott is expected to receive the franchise tender at a cost of $37.7 million for 2021.
“I don’t know how you could have any more leverage,” team owner/general manager Jerry Jones said last month on 105.3 The Fan. “… His evolving into an NFL quarterback has been nothing short of a perfect picture. He has great ability, in my mind, to win games. He’s talented. He certainly has the experiences and he has all the things, which has been substantiated by what we’ve offered Dak. You wouldn’t offer Dak what we offered in the past if you’d not thought he was very special. The issue is, how do you come together? And that’s no stranger to me. I’ve been doing it all my life, putting things together. We’ve got to get it together.”
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Radio Host “Reveals” New Offer to Dak
Take this with an industrial-sized grain of salt — or three. USA Radio Network’s Dan Sileo (who?) “reported” on Monday that Dallas plans to offer Prescott a five-year, $175 million contract.
“.@dak coming off a leg injury & NOT a lot of postseason winning….I get the impression talking to Stephen Jones they will not go above $35 million (per) or 5 years!!” Sileo tweeted as a follow-up.
Here’s the problem: This isn’t news. These are the same figures bandied about last offseason when discussions were growing hot and heavy. Sileo wasn’t “reporting” anything of subtance but rather regurgiating what already was known a calendar year ago.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL