Dallas Cowboys: Breaking the $40 million threshold

The Dallas Cowboys‘ frugal negotiations have placed the franchise in a position where they almost have to give in to their franchise players’ demands or find themselves in quarterback purgatory. If you’re a young fan reading this, that is a place I do not want any part of.

I still remember placing my faith in this team on the backs of Quincy Carter, Ryan Leaf, Chad Hutchinson, and Drew Henson. There are many more but I think you get the point.

The NFL is funny because no matter what your roster looks like if you don’t have a quarterback who is capable of putting the team on his back and carry you to a win, he is a placeholder. Let me break down the difference.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott won two games this past season. While the defense was figuring things out, Prescott was able to put the team on his back and win those contests. Sure they lost a few others but this is as good of a time as any to remind everyone that Prescott doesn’t play defense.

Cowboy’s backup quarterback Andy Dalton came in and won games for the Cowboys also but everything had to be perfect in order for him to compete. Has everyone forgotten the Thanksgiving game where he lost both tackles in the first quarter?

I haven’t and the two tackles who came in for the injured starters are the exact same two people Prescott started the majority season with. Agree or disagree, the hope in teammates and fans is different when Prescott is under center for America’s Team.

Dak not only showed off his mobile skills but he was also putting up video game passing numbers before he was placed on injured reserve. Dak’s passing yards in almost five games gives him the  32nd most passing yards in the entire league. This is your yearly reminder that there are only 32 teams in the league.

It now seems like everyone has a voice when it comes to the destination of Prescott but the biggest offseason headline can be avoided if the Dallas Cowboys, specifically owner Jerry Jones, breaks ranks and pays retail for something that he not only wants but needs.

I was killed a year ago for suggesting that Dak Prescott and the Cowboys make a long term deal that would break the $200 million dollar barrier. The six-year $222 million dollar deal that I suggested would now be a bargain. That is a $37 million dollar a year deal.

If the Cowboys had done a deal like this last offseason, they would have had the ability to kick the can down the road and structure the deal to fit this year’s anticipated lower salary cap. Now the team can still do that on a new agreement, it just would have been easier to restructure this year rather than go through this offseason circus again.

For those of you who are worried about the Cowboys being in “cap hell” the new television money is only going to drive NFL prices up so get used to big money being handed out. If the Dallas Cowboys franchise Dak Prescott again this offseason, the franchise tag is going to be $37.7 million for the year.

If you just caught the trend I applaud you. Why would an agent negotiate a deal below next year’s anticipated franchise tag? He wouldn’t which is why this offseason, Dak’s team knows next year’s franchise tag will exceed $40 million dollars.

It was rumored that the Dallas Cowboys initially offered a below-market deal which was countered by Prescott’s camp at a then crazy number of $40 million dollars a year. What was initially meant to be an astronomical number to counter a low-ball offer has turned into reality.

The longer you wait the more it will cost you certainly isn’t falling on deaf ears anymore. If the Dallas Cowboys aren’t going to pay that figure you better believe that there are multiple teams in the NFL that gladly would.

Teams like Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Rams appear to have concerns regarding their starting quarterbacks and those two might not be back because of poor play. Prescott has been accused of many things but poor play isn’t on the list.

We are programmed to always be on the lookout for something better than what you currently have. People nowadays are always looking for more likes or clicks. Dak Prescott on the Cowboys is no different but what I can tell you is the silly takes going on about trading or letting Prescott walk are ridiculous.

There is currently not a single available person out there that makes sense to bring in over Prescott. The inflated value of players the Dallas Cowboys aura provides will eventually bring the same topic back at some point no matter the person.

Dak Prescott deserves to be paid by the franchise he cheered for as a youngster. The number regardless of how crazy it looks will only get bigger. The time has come for the Dallas Cowboys to get this deal done.