With the structure of Dak Prescott’s contract for the Dallas Cowboys, the team faces limited options for significant cap relief this offseason unless they negotiate an extension with him in the near future.
However, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano suggests there’s uncertainty surrounding this prospect.
Graziano highlights that it’s not a given that both parties will reach an agreement on an extension, largely because of Prescott’s considerable leverage. Under his current contract, Prescott holds the final decision-making power regarding any alterations to his deal.
“We shouldn’t assume the Dallas Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott will agree on a contract extension before the start of the 2024 season. There are multiple reasons, but the main one is Prescott has unprecedented contract leverage and a history of not conceding easily in contract talks.”
Consequently, Graziano speculates that the Cowboys might focus on extending contracts with other key players to enhance their cap flexibility instead of prioritizing Prescott’s extension.
“That cap number incentivizes the Cowboys to do a deal, but considering there’s a clause in his current deal that prohibits the team from using a franchise or transition tag on Prescott, it also means the quarterback doesn’t have to do a deal if he’s not completely happy with it. His worst case scenario is that he becomes a free agent next spring at age 31, which would be quite lucrative.”
Furthermore, Graziano predicts that forthcoming negotiations between Prescott and the Cowboys are likely to encounter obstacles.
Prescott is slated to earn $34 million in 2024, but due to the contract’s structure from several years ago, his cap hit exceeds $59 million, presenting a significant financial challenge for the team.
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys certainly have some big decisions to make this offseason. It’s possible that they don’t engage in a contract extension with Dak Prescott just yet.
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