Dallas Cowboys are in a tricky situation with Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys have been big spenders in the past two weeks, locking up both La’el Collins and Ezekiel Elliott. What about Dak Prescott though?

The Dallas Cowboys are finally whole again. Ezekiel Elliott returned from his holdout hiatus seemingly right in the nick of time for the season opener. While the Dallas Cowboys could possibly win their first two games without one of the league’s most dynamic rushers, it seems as though they will play him in week one.

With a huge new deal for Elliott, a new deal for offensive lineman La’el Collins, and the deal with Jaylon Smith that was consummated just a short time ago, it would seem as though the Cowboys really got some things accomplished. That isn’t totally the case though as they still have a few players in Amari Cooper, potentially Byron Jones, and most importantly Dak Prescott who are in line for new deals.

While the other two are important in their own rights, Dak Prescott is the most important name to focus on here for the Cowboys. Not only does he play the most important position for this team and any other, the quarterback, but he is the one out of anybody who’s been paid or slated to be paid who has most outplayed his draft status and contract. Basically, he probably is one most deserving of a new deal.

Things only get more complicated when you think about the fact that Ezekiel Elliott just signed a deal that totally resets the running back market. This means that Elliott’s deal is now the benchmark for which all deals for running backs will be measured, compared, and based on.

Not that Elliott’s deal has anything directly correlating it with Prescott’s new deal when he gets it, but it does send a message, regardless of how it’s deciphered by Prescott and his camp.

Even more tricky, Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams just signed a new deal with his team that will see him stand to make $134 million dollars over the course of the contract, with $110 million of those dollars being of the guaranteed variety.

This is tricky for the Cowboys because Prescott would have a case worth making if he were to take the I’m better than Jared Goff approach, while at worst they would be comparable. This would either mean he thinks he deserves more money or at least that same amount as Goff.

As Prescott obviously hasn’t received a new deal up until this point, this could all be a part of the Cowboys’ plans. They could be waiting to see how he plays this season, after all, having more information generally leads to the most educated decision making. If he takes a step back this year, that could mean that the Cowboys saved themselves some money, but it could backfire.

If Prescott goes out and has his best season as a pro, or is better than Goff and Carson Wentz who also just got a new deal, the Cowboys could be on the hook for more money than they are thinking it will take now. While it wouldn’t be a good thing for the team overall, Prescott could take a major step back which would then lower his perceived value, but he could have his best season yet.

That would definitely either raise or reinforce his perceived value to himself and his camp, but you really don’t know which will happen. That is why the Cowboys are in a tricky situation with Dak Prescott.