Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones challenged quarterback Dak Prescott amid their contract negotiations and other passers around the NFL cashing in.
Prescott is heading into his final year under contract with the Cowboys. The sides have talked but have yet to land on an agreeable number as the landscape of quarterback deals around the league continues to shift.
Two more quarterbacks cashed in this week. The Miami Dolphins inked Tua Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million contract.
The Green Bay Packers agreed to a four-year, $220 million contract extension with Jordan Love, who has just one complete season on his resume. The new contract makes Love the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history.
Dak Prescott Has New Leverage on Cowboys
Those new contracts give Prescott a whole lot of leverage in his talks with the Cowboys. Prescott has helped the Cowboys post three consecutive 12-win seasons and finished second in MVP voting a year ago.
Last season, Prescott topped the NFL in completions (410) and touchdown passes (36), amassing 4,516 passing yards.
However, Jerry Jones is still eager to see Prescott “prove” he’s better and deserving of a record-setting contract.
“I get in trouble every time I make comparisons. Of course, we saw a head-to-head matchup with Green Bay last year. We all have that burr in our saddle,” Jones said while speaking to reporters on Saturday, July 27. “I’m anxious for Dak to get a chance to show he’s the best with the Cowboys star on him.”
It’s a bit of a slight from Jones. In the game he’s referencing the Cowboys beat by the Packers 48-32 in a contest that wasn’t even as close as the final score indicated. Love passed for 272 yards and a trio of touchdowns in the win.
Prescott racked up 403 yards and a trio of touchdowns on 60 pass attempts as the Cowboys tried to battle back. He also tossed a trio of interceptions, including a pick-six.
Cowboys Still Open to Deal With Dak Prescott Ahead of Season
Jones added that his statement does not mean the Cowboys will not reach a deal with Prescott before the season.
“Don’t let that imply that we’re not going to get a new deal. That’s just not the case in my mind,” Jones said. “We have a lot we’re weighing. Those things change — they change every day.”
Prescott has been playing his own games through statements to the media. While he enjoys being in Dallas, he’s also not scared of the idea of playing for another franchise.
“You know, I’m going to say it: I want to be here, but you know when you look up all the great quarterbacks I’ve watched, they’ve played for other teams,” Prescott said on Friday, July 26. “So my point in saying that is that that’s not something to fear.”
The Cowboys have some major contracts to figure out with Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is currently holding out. A new deal for defensive superstar Micah Parsons is also lurking. Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones said both Prescott and Lamb have received new contract offers in recent days.
“Right now, I would characterize both conversations as upbeat,” Jones said via the Cowboys’ official site. “We’re having good talks back and forth with both Todd (France) and Tory (Dandy). I like where we stand.”
The Cowboys open the regular season on September 8 on the road against the Cleveland Browns.
