The misleading narrative surrounding Cowboys QB Dak Prescott
By John Herndon
This money narrative continues to be pushed by a self-loathing fan base that is oblivious to the concept of market value. In the simplest of terms, market value is the worth of an asset in the market.
The asset is the quarterback. The interplay of supply and demand. You have the option to buy it or not. Bargain shopping is also an option. You won't be able to take part in the tournament if you bargain shop.
Please indulge me. As I give context.
In 2016, Dak Prescott's four-year rookie contract paid him just $2.7 million, with most of it not being guaranteed. The Dallas Cowboys selected him in the fourth round of the draft. His salary was determined by his draft status.
No one was advocating for Prescott as he outperformed his draft selection. No one acknowledged Dak was being underpaid. Over his rookie contract, he threw for 15,779 yards and 97 touchdowns to 36 interceptions while completing 65.8% of his passes
In 2019, Dallas handed Zeke Elliott a six-year, $90 million contract, making him the highest paid, running back and resetting the market. Elliot was a first-round pick. His first three years before his contract extension, he made $20 plus million.
In 2020, Dallas gave Amari Cooper a contract extension for 5 years and $100M. It made him the first $100 million receiver and reset the market. In 2018, the market value for the wide receiver was under $20M per season. Cooper wanted out of Oakland. Instead, Dallas allowed him to play out his contract.
After this business. All we continue to hear is Dak Prescott should take less. Notice a pattern. All of those players are GONE!
Early in the 2022 offseason, Michael Gallup signed a five-year, $62.5 million extension with the Cowboys. Gallup was coming off an ACL injury, too.
No one fan or talking head said anything about the above players should take less money. None of them should, either.
This was the narrative being pushed. From the lips of Stephen Jones himself.
"We can’t push the issue unless we want to be a market-setter. And we’re damn sure not going to be a market-setter because of all the things that go with being a Dallas Cowboy. We want our players to feel good about their contracts. But at the same time, we don’t want to do things that are out of line because we can’t afford to be that way. When we save money, whether it’s with Dak, whether it’s with Zeke, whether it’s with Amari, it’s not saving Jerry and I, a dollar. It’s just money that’s going to another player."
- Stephen Jones told KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.
I must be missing something. Cowboys Twitter calls Stephen Jones "Cap Boy," but they agree with his ideas. Just like they agree with Jerry Jones saying the same narrative about Zack Martin, only to extend Trevon Diggs a couple of days later.
They have restructured Zack Martin's contract at the time of writing this article. Proving my point. The Cowboys can pay anyone they choose. I'm not suggesting they keep everyone, but they can do so if they choose.
A fan base that expresses how upset they are with how Jerry Jones runs the team sure sound like him a lot.