The definitive guide why Dak Prescott is not a franchise quarterback
By Richard Ball
The Dallas Cowboys and their quarterback are at a contract stalemate. Could the reason be an opinion on the term franchise quarterback?
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is the next in line for a market-setting deal. So why hasn’t the ink dried on a deal yet?
Former agent Joel Corry posted on CBS.com that he thought term length was the sticking point. While we haven’t heard much from Prescott and his representatives, contract term seems as good a reason as any for holding up the deal.
But there likely is a bigger underlying reason the contract has not been signed. It is a matter of opinion. An opinion that has divided Cowboys Nation just like it has Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys’ front office.
Dak Prescott and his representatives likely feel that he is a franchise quarterback capable of winning the Super Bowl. The Cowboys likely do not.
The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. So why would the Cowboys play contract games with their quarterback if they felt he was a franchise quarterback?
Before the 2020 offseason, was there any contract drama in New England between the Patriots and Tom Brady? Maybe much of that stems from Brady’s willingness to continually take a team-friendly deal (see below clip at 6:56) in the hopes of adding to his Super Bowl legacy.
Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson gave his team a deadline of April 15, 2019, to sign a new deal. Guess what – the Seahawks found a way to agree to a four-year extension valued at $35 million per year.
Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers publicly hinted at his wish for a new deal in the 2018 offseason with two years left on his current deal. Guess what – the Packers found a way to give Rodgers $80 million upfront and added four more years to his contract.
The new deals locked up Wilson and Rodgers for five and six years each. So why would Prescott hesitate when the Cowboys put a five-year deal on the table?
Teams don’t mess around with the franchise quarterback when contract time comes along. With the importance of the position, teams make sure their quarterback is contractually happy when they believe he is a difference-maker at the position.
So what defines a franchise quarterback? A term that is the most overused label given to quarterbacks.