“What happened in the postseason has separated Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes.” That’s how Troy Aikman feels about the Dallas Cowboys quarterback. Perhaps, the reason for him to say so was the Cowboys’ loss against the Packers in the wild-card round, that too, with a drastic 16 points in the playoffs last year. As a result, Prescott, who many considered a threat to Mahomes earlier, was no longer a challenge. But is this the same thinking of Jerry Jones, who still has not confirmed Prescott’s contract extension?

Well, Jones has clearly stated that he is “anxious for Dak to show that he’s the best with that Cowboys star.” But if asked about the contract, Jones might pull out a “don’t want to talk about it” card. So, what should the quarterback do? NFL analyst and former NFL WR, James Jones, has an answer for him.

The contract situation for Prescott appears to have gotten out of hand

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The contract drama between Dak Prescott and the Cowboys is still on. While the team hasn’t decided anything about the QB’s demand of around $60 million, SPEAK analyst James Jones wants Prescott to follow his advice. In a recent show episode on August 2, 2024, Jones said, “I pray Dak Prescott gets out of Dallas because he is disrespected in Dallas, straight up.”

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Like many analysts, Jones might have said this because he believed that if Jerry Jones and the team wanted to give him a contract, they would have done it earlier. But since they haven’t done it till now, Prescott is not their priority, and hence, he should leave after this ‘disrespect‘.

Prescott is heading into the last year of his four-year, $140 million deal, hitting the cap at $55 million. And as per reports, Prescott is still affordable unless he hits the $60 million mark. This was evident from the Cowboys’ legend Troy Aikman’s statement when he said, “I believe that he is going to be the first quarterback to $60 million and the longer this goes, the more I think he will be playing somewhere else.” Continuing on his philosophy, like analyst Jones, Aikman too thinks, “If it (the contract drama) continues to drag on and he [Prescott] plays great and then the Cowboys come in late to say ‘Hey, now we want to pay you’, I don’t know where his head will be at that point.” So, as suggested by Jones, many think Prescott will benefit from leaving the team, instead of playing and waiting, and ultimately getting nothing.

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Prescott led the 2023 season with his passing touchdowns (29). And hence, before the season, he wants an extension from his team. But as the team has Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb left to be paid, they are in a dilemma. On the other hand, the Cowboys can’t use the franchise tag on Prescott after this season, as per his contract structure. If they don’t extend his contract, he could become a free agent next March. And that is when the problem will start for the Cowboys. Because if Prescott leaves, he’ll still cost the Cowboys around $40 million on the 2025 cap. Plus, they would have to find themselves a new quarterback as well and groom him from scratch.

Meanwhile, Jordan Love, Joe Burrow, and Trevor Lawrence are now among the top-paid quarterbacks, also at around $55 million per season. If they got their extension, Prescott too will want the same. And why shouldn’t he? Apart from Jordan Love, who clinched a playoff berth, Burrow and Lawrence didn’t perform as per expectations. The injury took Burrow’s season, while Lawrence failed to earn a spot in the knockouts. But Prescott did! Hence, it has become a common notion that if they can get it, why not Prescott?

Even ESPN analyst and former safety Louis Riddick argued that the quarterback should be paid $65 million because of his good performance last year, where he registered “a passer rating of 105.9 with 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions in 17 games,” was an MVP runner-up, and selected in third Pro Bowls.

Despite being advised by many to move on from the ‘disrespect,’ Prescott is patiently waiting for things to be done.

Is it a hope or a hint by Dak Prescott?

Dak Prescott is in a crucial phase of contract extension talks with the Cowboys. He feels a strong responsibility not just to his teammates but to all NFL quarterbacks. Hence, when answering the questions about his contract to the reporters, the QB said, “I’m a guy that grew up with two older brothers. You understand what a brotherhood means, not only for just this team but the fraternity of the NFL and the players.”

He continued by giving a hint that “the money is out there and the money can happen. It can be done. There are ways to make everything work both ways. That’s in that sense it’s always about pushing the envelope for the next man.” As Prescott is giving a clear path to the franchise to sign other key players’ extensions, he still hopes that at last America’s team would return to him with an offer.

In addition to that, Prescott has even mentioned that he isn’t thinking about a trade. He said, “I’ve got a ton of confidence, but honestly, it’s not something I think about. I’m here in training camp and focused on this year. I’m on a contract for this year and that’s all I really care about.” This means Prescott is likely to give a shot in his final year of contract and will try to prove himself so that he can get a new long-term contract the next year.