Wild Dak Prescott-Bill Belichick endgame pitch will make Cowboys fans sick

It's disconcerting to think about how much money the Dallas Cowboys could have saved if they didn't play hardball with Dak Prescott's initial extension. Had they signed him initially, Prescott likely would be under contract with a $50 million salary, or thereabouts. Now, he's expected to become the NFL's first-ever player to make $60 million per year.

While there's a debate to be had whether Prescott is worth that much, the Cowboys should pay whatever it takes to keep him around. The NFL commands that the next player up for a contract should reset the market.

After finishing second in MVP voting and flaunting more leverage than any player in the league, Prescott is fully expected to do just that ... whether it's in Dallas or with another team should Jerry Jones allow him to reach free agency next March. There's a world in which Prescott is back with the Cowboys being coached by Bill Belichick, who failed to land a coaching job this hiring cycle after he and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways.

But what if Prescott and Belichick teamed up outside of Dallas? First Things First co-host and FS1 personality Nick Wright believes that's in the realm of possibilities.

Could Cowboys' Dak Prescott and Bill Belichick team up on the Giants in 2025?

That is an extremely farfetched prediction from Wright, but it's still enough to make Cowboys fans squeamish. The longer Prescott goes without an extension, the more realistic it becomes that he plays out the 2024 season on the final year of his contract and tests the open market in March.

In that scenario, Prescott's AAV could reach $65 million given he would have several teams vying for his signature. Unless incumbent starter Daniel Jones redeems himself this year, the Giants will be back in the QB market next offseason. Jones has no guaranteed money left on his two-year, $82.5 million extension after 2024, meaning New York can cut him with limited financial repercussions.

In fact, if Jones is released with a post-June 1 designation, the Giants would save $30.5 million in cap room and inherit $11.105 million in dead money, per Over The Cap. That move alone would give them close to $50 million in cap space, which would be plenty to sign Prescott.

If Brian Daboll were fired, it'd be easy to envision the Giants making a strong push for Belichick. After all, Belichick was a part of New York's coaching staff for 12 years, including six as a defensive coordinator, before his first head coaching gig with the Browns in 1991.

A longtime Prescott admirer, Belichick would absolutely green-light a move for the Cowboys' quarterback. With his job on the line (if he isn't fired with Daboll), GM Joe Schoen wouldn't have the security to draft a QB, and the 72-year-old Belichick wouldn't want to oversee the development of a rookie QB anyway.

Fortunately, there are several reasons why Cowboys fans should expect Prescott to be back in Dallas. Not only would he cost a fortune ($40 million) in dead money if he leaves for nothing in 2025, but losing him would send the franchise spiraling into QB purgatory. Plus, the latest buzz suggests the team wants to get Prescott's deal done before CeeDee Lamb's.

We suppose Wright's diabolical prediction could come to fruition, but it's much more likely that Prescott and Belichick team up with the Cowboys than in East Rutherford.

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