Dak Prescott wants your love, but does he deserve new money?

Quarterback Dak Prescott is entering his fourth year in the NFL. With three seasons under his belt, the Dallas Cowboys must decide if QB one deserves money.

On July 29, quarterback Dak Prescott will turn 26-years old. Just three years ago, the Dallas Cowboys grabbed the Louisiana native in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

The rookie quarterback was supposed to be an understudy. A backup. The unknown guy behind the known guy, Tony Romo.

Things are different now. The NFL Rookie of the Year awards was so yesterday. Prescott has 51 NFL games under his stat sheet. He’s young. He’s hungry. Now, Dak wants his money and of course, all of the love from Cowboys Nation.

Should the Cowboys open the bank to their star quarterback? If so, will it happen this year or next or never?

Pay Dak. Love Dak.

Out of 51 possible games, Prescott has started them all. Durable? You bet. Tough? Yes. With 51 starts under his radar, the quarterback in Big D owns a 33-18 overall record. Entering his fourth season as a pro quarterback, Prescott will be just 26 when he takes center stage this fall.

Don’t love Dak. Don’t pay him.

Prescott’s QBR took a big dive in 2018. He went from 77.5 rating in 2016, to 69.9 in 2017, and finally, a 57.7 rating last season. He took a whopping 56 sacks in 2018.

Pay him.

Despite a lower QBR in 2018, Prescott’s quarterback rating was up from 86.6 in 2017 to 96.9 in 2018. He threw five fewer interceptions. He was 115 passing yards from the 4,000-yard mark. Also, he attempted 526 passes in 2018 while still reaching a 67.7 completion rate.

No love for Dak Prescott.

He averaged 7.4 yards per pass attempt. The guy has mastered the dink and dunk scheme. The quarterback has no touch on the deep ball. Michael Gallup might file a lawsuit if things don’t change. Each time he throws beyond 20 yards, America’s Team gathers for internal prayer.

Pay him and love him. His name isn’t Paxton Lynch.

Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is gone. Despite earning six rushing touchdowns in each of his three seasons, Prescott wasn’t utilized in a way that propels his skill set. Will 2019 be different is anyone’s guess. New offensive coordinator Kellen Moore better be a boy genius.

Don’t pay him big. If the Cowboys pay up, pay average.

What kind of dollar are we talking? Prescott is above average at best. He needs an elite supporting cast.

In 2018, Prescott actually carried the ball 75 times, which is more attempts than his previous two years. Yet with all the carries, he still only averaged 4.1 yards a pop. Sure, the quarterback is classified as a dual-threat, but do the Cowboys know this? More importantly, will they exercise his skill set?

After three years in the league, the ceiling is clear for this quarterback. His fourth-round tender is accurate. Sure, the guy can sell Tostitos chips on his free time, but is carrying the Jerry Jones banner as the default setting an issue?

Are the Dallas Cowboys paying a franchise quarterback or a mascot? The ‘Boys must pony up the mighty dollar to DeMarcus Lawrence, Amari Cooper, Ezekiel Elliott and potentially, muster enough coin to land safety Earl Thomas.

You say pay him. Maybe we wait out 2019 to see if the real Dak Prescott stands up. But the final question begs: Did he already stand up and he is what we thought he was?