It seems like it’s not a matter of if but when will Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott sign a contract that will make him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL.
Which team signs Prescott to that expected record-setting contract is anyone’s guess. It very well may be the Cowboys as the two sides are deadlocked in negotiations, but one thing is holding up a potential deal on Dallas’ end, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
“One sticking point in the Dak deal (we’re told) relates to the team’s escape hatch,” Florio wrote. “How many years will they be tied to Prescott in the event he regresses or they otherwise decide to make a change? … While the number the Cowboys want isn’t clear, they could be looking for a two- or three-year exit opportunity. Dak, whose current four-year deal created a very real four-year commitment, wants security if he’s going to stay.”
Nov 23, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) in action during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium.
Spotrac projects Prescott’s market value at $55.1 million per year, which would make him the highest-paid QB in the NFL, topping the $55 million-per-year salaries of Green Bay’s Jordan Love, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence.
Love and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa both signed massive four-year extensions this offseason, but both contracts give their respective teams outs after the third year of the deal.
Given Prescott’s age (31) relative to Love and Tagovailoa (they’re both 26), it seems far less likely teams will want to commit to the same kind of term on any potential contract offer.