In the not-too-distant past, it seemed like the Dallas Cowboys’ first priority – in terms of getting their core players to sign contract extensions – that quarterback Dak Prescott might be on the top of the list.
Now, Prescott is about the only one playing without an extension.
And it’s his side that may be responsible for that.
Coincidentally, many people wondered aloud if Prescott was worth the assumed gigantic number that would be headed his way regarding an extension. That was when Prescott’s play was a bit more in line with the league-average starting quarterbacks. Now, Prescott is playing at an elite level, and he may be stalling a little to see how high a number he can get.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, now that most of the league’s starting quarterbacks – at the least young and/or top tier – have all signed contract extensions within the last couple years (many within the last couple months), Prescott may want to wait longer, much to the chagrin of the Cowboys.
From @NFLGameDay: The #Cowboys extension talks with QB Dak Prescott have stalled a bit, and a look at a possible reason why ?? pic.twitter.com/H9P9AaMZQp
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 15, 2019
According to Rapoport, Prescott may want to see what happens with some shorter quarterback deals. Those tend to be the higher number on a per-year dollar amount. Thus, Prescott and his camp may be positioned to get the best of both worlds: the higher dollar amount of short-term deals but with the additional years added on.
Also, with NFL contracts, guaranteed money is always liable to be a sticking point, since the given amount of a contract and what said contract is really worth is often very different numbers. Except with a few players who got fully guaranteed deals, like when Kirk Cousins signed with the Vikings. Cousins signed a deal with Minnesota that included a fully-guaranteed $82.5 million over three years (which Cousins is in the second year of).
Prescott, 26, might be looking for that type of deal, but extended over a longer period of time. And that just might be more than the Cowboys were anticipating.
