Dear Dak Prescott: Are you a leader or are you a follower?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has shown that he is a leader on the field. His recent comments about his contract clearly show he is a follower off the field.

Dear Dak Prescott – USA Today’s Jori Epstein recently wrote an article about why you will not give a “Tom Brady discount” to the Dallas Cowboys when it comes to your next contract. But I believe you’re making a big mistake. And that’s a lack of strategic thinking.

You should not consider a below market contract as a hometown discount but rather an opportunity to cement your legacy and join Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman in the ultra-exclusive club of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks.

You have every right to sign a fair market contract with the Cowboys. But I wonder if that is in your best interest. At a certain point, more money is not the answer to all your dreams; only you truly know how much you want to win a Super Bowl because they are not for sale.

If this is on your bucket list, then you will be making a serious mistake in signing a fair market contract which spotrac.com has pegged at $25 million average per year.

You do share some similarities with Brady. In his first three seasons starting in the NFL, Brady won 34 regular season games. Your 32 wins are not too far behind. Of course, he had two Super Bowl victories by this time.

So why not continue to follow Brady’s blueprint and leave money to fill out the roster with quality depth. Tom Brady is not considered the GOAT because he was the greatest passer but because he is the greatest leader and set the standard for the Patriot way.

Everyone seems to forget that 2019 will be the first year that Tony Romo will be off the Cowboys salary cap books. While your cap hit has only been $1.9 million over the first three years of your career, Romo has counted $40.4 million over the same time which has negated your salary cap advantaged contract.

Speaking of your former teammate, he finally made his first Super Bowl this year – as a broadcaster. I wonder what he would say if you were to ask him how much money he would give back if it meant he had a legitimate chance to win the Lombardi trophy. He had an up close view of being a champion and I wonder how much regret he will have when he is older about not winning as a player.

The unfortunate part is there are no do-overs. You have one chance to have a NFL career. You should lean on your predecessors and absorb the aura and reverence that follow Staubach and Aikman.

They will always be remembered as champions. Soon, Tony Romo will be as well-remembered as Danny White, the previous owner of most of the Cowboys quarterback records.

The Cowboys’ current core is Super Bowl worthy. On offense you have six solid pieces with three lineman, a running back, a wide receiver and yourself. On defense, there are four pieces with one defensive end, two linebackers and a corner with some hope that another corner and defensive end will join this group.

If every one of these pieces were to receive a fair market value contract, then the Cowboys could conceivably pay about $150 million per year for these twelve players leaving roughly $50 million for the remaining 41 roster players.

That means center Joe Looney would not be on the team because a player making minimum salary will need to hold that spot. You might recall that players like Looney come in handy when one of the stars is unable to play.

It means your veteran roster depth is gone and, in their place, will be rookies and first year players on minimum salaries. It also means that the Front Office may have hard choices to make about who they re-sign – could they let one of the twelve walk and recover compensatory draft picks? My bet is it will be Ezekiel Elliott since running back is the easiest position to replace.

While it is possible to win a Super Bowl with this composition, your chances will be very low. Here’s how you can be a leader off the field – you tell owner Jerry Jones that winning a Super Bowl is just as important to you as it is to him and you want to make sure that Dallas has the best chance to win multiple Super Bowls during your long career.

Before you sign, you make sure that the front office is all in and sign a free agent like safety Earl Thomas who will push the team over the edge. You could remind them that the Patriots first Super Bowl run had a free agent safety addition in Rodney Harrison.

Then, you ask for a contract that equals 7 percent of the salary cap. This is the historical cap hit average of the winning Super Bowl quarterback. But here is the kicker, you ask for it all guaranteed.

Dak Prescott, you have a wonderful opportunity that you have rightfully earned. Your upcoming contract decision will go a long way to determine if you will realize all of your career goals. Be strategic.