The Dallas Cowboys are entering one of the most pivotal seasons in franchise history as this could be the last year with the current talented roster in-tact to chase a Super Bowl.
After three-straight regular seasons where Dallas finished with 12 wins, Dak Prescott and company have continued to choke in the playoffs despite having one of the most talented rosters in the NFL.
After the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Packers in a surprise upset in the Wildcard Round last year, there was a general sentiment amongst NFL insiders that Jerry Jones might blow the whole thing up. Instead, he decided to ride with Mike McCarthy — who is entering the final year of his contract — and keep Prescott at QB.
Instead of inking Prescott to a new extension following one of his best NFL seasons where he was leading the MVP conversation for most of the year, Jerry Jones has opted to sit on his hands and even stated publicly the plan is to let the Cowboys franchise QB play out the final year of his current deal.
Prescott is responsible for a massive salary cap hit in 2024 and it was nearly impossible to add new talent this offseason.
So instead, the Dallas Cowboys lost several starters, including OL Tyron Smith, RB Tony Pollard and other key pieces on both sides of the ball.
While Prescott’s postseason struggles have been well-documented, he enters 2024 as the No. 6 QB in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus and if he hits the open market following this season, there will be a minimum of five teams, likely more, lining up to make him the highest paid QB in the NFL.
Jones and the Cowboys brass is taking a major risk, and while some insiders believe the organization still plans to reach a long-term deal with Prescott, the QB now holds all the power and shouldn’t have any urgency to sign.
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Embracing Chance He Could Play For Another Team After 2024 Season
There’s been plenty of speculation about Prescott’s future considering Dallas hasn’t inked him to a new extension while quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence are signing new deals.
So far, Prescott hasn’t directly spoken about the possibility that he could play for another team following 2024, but that changed on Tuesday.
The Dallas Cowboys QB took the podium after training camp practice and for the first time, acknowledged this could be his final season in his current role.
“I want to be here, but when you look up—all the great quarterbacks I watched played for other teams,” Prescott said. “That’s not something to fear. It may be a reality for me one day. It may not be my decision. That’s the freedom that I have.”
#Cowboys QB Dak Prescott pauses briefly in the middle of his answer when talking about the business of the NFL:
"I want to be here, but when you look up — all the great quarterbacks I watched played for other teams… That's not something to fear. It may be a reality for me one… pic.twitter.com/0Nbpg4B9Rd
— Jett Beachum (@JetthroTV) July 25, 2024
Dak Prescott lead the NFL in several key categories in 2023 with 4,516 passing yards (third), 36 touchdowns (1st), nine interceptions and a QBR of 72.7 (second in the NFL).
His 89.8 passing grade in the regular season ranked second only to Tua Tagovailoa. His 73.5 passing grade under pressure was No. 1. His 37 big-time throws in the regular season were the most in the NFL, and his 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate was the lowest among quarterbacks with at least 400 dropbacks.
Prescott was efficient, aggressive and accurate, albeit with a poor showing to end the year.
So now, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys decision makers have a massive decision on their hands but Prescott holds all the power. Now that Trevor Lawrence just inked a deal that is paying him the same kind of money Joe Burrow is getting, Prescott’s price tag only got higher and reports have surfaced that he’s now demanding $60 million per year.
At this point, there’s a very real possibility Dak Prescott can hand pick the team that will be more than happy to pay him what he’s asking after 2024.
