Congratulations Jerry Jones. Your loyal-to-a-fault paradigm for running the Dallas Cowboys has hit a new high — or rather, a new low.
Dak Prescott just reset the quarterback market with a four-year, $240 million contract and $231 million guaranteed.
The reigning NFL regular-season MVP runner-up is coming off a stellar season, but as has been the case for the Cowboys for the better part of three decades, Dak came up so small in the playoffs. Dallas got blown off the field by the Packers on Wild Card Weekend after a third straight 12-win season.
Not to say Dak is the only man at fault for the Cowboys’ postseason shortcomings. However, he’s one of those QBs who struggles to elevate supporting casts and doesn’t do well without exceptional pass protection. Building a Super Bowl-caliber roster is tough enough when a quarterback takes up so much salary cap space. The level of self-sabotage here by Jerry and the front office is legitimately historic, though.
It didn’t sound like Dak was too concerned about getting an extension done before Week 1 in a recent interview — and maybe that’s because he recognizes if he takes too much of the pie, there won’t be enough around him to field a team that has a realistic shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
Dak Prescott when recently asked on @ESPNNFL about not having a new contract: “It just reminds me that this is a business. I don’t take anything personal. … I control what I can, and that’s being the best I can on that field.
“… It doesn’t make me mad, not at all.”
Dak on… pic.twitter.com/XuOiC1GLHD
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 8, 2024
But hey, for better or worse, looks like Dallas is rolling with Dak under center for the foreseeable future. All that guaranteed money suggests America’s Team didn’t do some weird four-year deal where it’s only effectively two years with all sorts of outs built in. Jerry has hitched his wagon to Dak, and in doing so, believes he can elevate what will be an inevitably middling roster to a Super Bowl. Like yeah, the ‘Boys have a top-10 roster in my opinion right now. Gonna be tough to sustain that with Dak on the books for so much dough.
Dallas hasn’t made it past the Divisional Round since 1995. Dak’s production dips across the board in the playoffs, where he’s 2-5 as a starter compared to 73-41 in the regular season. Other than maybe Lamar Jackson, no QB in all of football is under more pressure to win the game’s ultimate prize than Dak, especially with what he’s being paid now.
Color me skeptical. I don’t think Dak gets it done. As great of a teammate and leader he is, his arm talent is marginal relative to other high-end NFL starters. He’s flopped in the playoffs time and again.
Best of luck to him, though. The NFL is a more entertaining product as a whole when the Cowboys are good. I just think they’re making that much harder on themselves by overpaying for Dak by this much. Good luck fitting in Micah Parsons, Jerry!
The initial reactions to Dak’s extension tell me I’m not alone in this general opinion.
The Cowboys just gave Dak Prescott $60 Million a year to keep choking away playoff games pic.twitter.com/dacOeoH7zK
— SpermCenter (@Sperm_Center) September 8, 2024
lotta money to get eliminated by the packers
— CheeseheadTV 🧀 (@cheeseheadtv) September 8, 2024
good for dak. he’s not even top 10, but get that money.
— Earl (@SavedByEarl) September 8, 2024
This is a waste of money
— Wealth Turtle 💰 🐢 (@wealth_turtle) September 8, 2024
The cowboys and Jerry jones are the dumbest in the NFL.
Y’all have fun losing in the playoffs for the next 4 years.
— fatty patty (@theonlydyl_) September 8, 2024
— PrizePicks (@PrizePicks) September 8, 2024
That Patrick Mahomes contract looks better and better each day pic.twitter.com/c3x5laFs8m
— Brad Henson Productions (@BradHensonPro) September 8, 2024
— CleBuckeye (@CleBuckeye23) September 8, 2024
How are they gonna pay Micah?😭
— Crumbletakes (@Crumbletakes) September 8, 2024
Egregious work out of Jerry
— Terps Recruiting (@TerpRecruiting) September 8, 2024
