Dak Prescott leaving Cowboys just got more realistic after Jared Goff's huge extension
By Jerry Trotta
How many more leaves have to fall for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to sign one of his homegrown stars? The offseason program is underway and Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are still without new deals. While Prescott has been a full participant at OTAs, Lamb is training away from the team and likely won't report until he signs his extension.
It seems inevitable that Lamb will sign, but Prescott is a different story. His crippling 2024 cap hit doesn't mean much now that the Cowboys have signed most of their draft class and free agency is over. In other words, immediate cap relief is no longer a motivator.
Then again, will anything motivate Jerry Jones to sign Prescott? Probably not.
Once again, though, Prescott's price has gone up after the Lions gave Jared Goff a mammoth extension worth $212 million. It's a four-year deal for Goff, including a whopping $170 million guaranteed.
Another done deal in Detroit: Lions are signing QB Jared Goff to a four-year, $212 million contract extension that includes $170 million guaranteed, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 13, 2024
Goff now goes from former No. 1 overall pick to highest-paid Lion in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/FKlQuGDf8M
Dak Prescott leaving Cowboys is more realistic after Jared Goff's huge Lions extension
With every QB payday that passes, the more likely it is that Prescott leaves the Cowboys next offseason. We don't think Jerry Jones is foolish enough to let Prescott get away, but he's driven a hard bargain in previous negotiations with the two-time Pro Bowler. That's why Prescott was franchise-tagged twice before signing his four-year, $160 million extension.
If they were proactive, the Cowboys could have got Prescott for $30-35 million annually the first time around. They ended up paying him $40 million. What's more despicable is that five upper-echelon quarterbacks have signed during a point where it would have made sense for Dallas to extend Prescott:
- Joe Burrow: $55M
- Jared Goff: $53M
- Justin Herbert: $52.5M
- Lamar Jackson: $52M
- Jalen Hurts: $51M
The QB market has been reset FIVE times in the last two offseasons. The fact Goff is now the second-highest paid gunslinger all but confirms Prescott's new deal will set a new record for guarantees or salary -- or maybe both -- whether it's in Dallas or elsewhere.
Regardless, the Cowboys waiting to extend Prescott continues to be a mistake. His price just increased and only stands to grow higher with fellow QBs Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love all due for new deals this offseason.
If history has taught us anything, it's that Prescott will be the last of that group to sign. Who knows what his price will be by then. It could be more than what Jerry Jones is willing to offer.
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