ESPN Analyst Blasts Potential New Contract for Cowboys’ Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys have yet to extend Dak Prescott, but one ESPN personality doesn’t think the quarterback deserves a huge contract extension.

Prescott is entering the last year of his current contract, but there has been little to no public progress on a new deal. And ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith argued that Prescott “doesn’t deserve” one. During the July 22 airing of “First Take,” Smith explained his reasoning.

“I’m just saying he don’t deserve it,” Smith said. “We talk about the market, and I get the notion that … your value is what the market says it is. … He doesn’t deserve it because he doesn’t show up in the postseason.

“Dak Prescott has wet the bed on far too many occasions,” Smith said, adding that he understands “you got to give him his money ’cause of the market.”

Smith’s comments about Prescott’s playoff record are valid. The Cowboys have never reached the NFC Championship with Prescott at the helm and his overall postseason record is 2-5.

But Prescott backers will mention that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. It’s hard for any NFL team to move on from a QB who has gone 73-41 in the regular season and has made the playoffs in five campaigns.

‘Quiet’ Atmosphere Surrounding Prescott Extension

The Cowboys’ offseason has centered around extensions for three key players: Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb and LB Micah Parsons. Despite training camp starting, none of those players has been extended.

And in the latest update from NFL media insider Jane Slater, it doesn’t appear like a deal is coming for Lamb or Prescott anytime soon.

“Still ‘all quiet’ as it relates to Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb’s contracts per a source informed. #Cowboys,” Slater wrote on X on July 24.

According to Spotrac, Prescott will count as a $55.1 million cap hit in 2024 and the site estimates his market value at $53.1 million per season. While Prescott is coming off one of his best statistical seasons, paying any player that kind of money is a massive commitment.

And when considering that Parsons and Lamb need to be paid, the financial puzzle only gets more complicated for the Cowboys.

Cowboys QB Could Earn $70 Million Per Year

In contrast to Spotrac’s estimation, an anonymous source told CowboysCountry’s Mike Fisher that the number could be much higher. In a July 23 article, Fisher’s source explained that Prescott could become the highest-paid player ever.

“On the way to Dak seeking a ‘highest-paid-player-ever’ offer, one NFL source tells CowboysCountry.com that with ‘patience,’ Prescott’s value will hit $70 million annually,” Fisher wrote.

That is an eye-popping number, but it makes sense considering how contracts have inflated with expanding salary caps in the NFL. And considering how critical QB play is in the NFL, teams have to pay a premium to keep a player of Prescott’s quality around.

Fisher himself wrote that he finds the report “dubious” and mentioned that Prescott has spoken about taking a “team-friendly” contract but the point of the report remains the same: if Prescott holds out and brings on a bidding war for his services, he could very well reach that number.