What Jalen Hurts’ extension means for the Cowboys and Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys talking heads have been banging the table for Dak Prescott to get a new contract extension this offseason.

A huge reason for that? There’s multiple top-drawer quarterbacks up for new contracts — including Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Lamar Jackson — each of whom are going to help mutate the new market.

The first of those dominos fell early Monday, as the Eagles and Hurts agreed to a mammoth extension. It’s a five-year deal worth $255 million that includes over $179 million guaranteed and features a no-trade clause.

We hate taking cues from Philly, but they’re one of the NFL’s gold standards in terms of roster building and management. Come training camp, Hurts’ deal won’t look as enormous, let alone a year from now. All because the Eagles paid him early and got in front of the market.

What Jalen Hurts’ extension means for the Cowboys and Dak Prescott.

The Bengals, Chargers and Ravens are surely kicking themselves for allowing Philadelphia to set the contract parameters.

Now, Burrow and Herbert could command as much as $55 million, with the former potentially going as high as $58 million after he led Cincinnati to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship Game in consecutive years.

Hurts’ new deal pays him $51 million per year. Over 70% of the contract is fully guaranteed. While Prescott might not clear those numbers, they should give the Cowboys a solid idea as far as where negotiations with QB1 might start.

Here’s a quick look at the highest-paid QBs in terms of AAV.

1. Jalen Hurts: $51 million
2. Aaron Rodgers: $49 million
3. Kyler Murray: $46.1 million
4. Deshaun Watson: $46 million
5. Patrick Mahomes: $45 million
6. Josh Allen: $43 million

Dak’s current deal, which has two seasons remaining, averages $40 million per season. That ties him with Daniel Jones and Matthew Stafford as the seventh-highest paid gunslingers. Based on the numbers above, Prescott’s new contract could fall in the range of $45-49 million annually … if the Cowboys play their cards right and pay Prescott before Herbert and Burrow further wreck the market.

That might sound crazy after Prescott’s turnover-plagued 2022, but a large contingent of Cowboys fans recognize he’s one of the 10-best quarterbacks in the league. Moving on isn’t an option, and extending him gives Dallas the best chance of keeping pace with the Eagles and 49ers in the NFC.

If nothing else, this news should light a fire under Dallas to get Prescott’s extension done as soon as possible. They paid the price waiting to pay him the first time around. Let’s hope they don’t make the same mistake twice.

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