Ferdja Ferdja.com delivers the latest news and relevant information across various domains including politics, economics, technology, culture, and more. Stay informed with our detailed articles and in-depth analyses.
Almost 5 years in the past, the numbers swirling round a Dak Prescott contract extension appeared staggering. Within the midst of uncomfortable negotiations between the Dallas Cowboys and their star quarterback, a really spherical and seemingly unbelievable quantity emerged in the summertime of 2019:
$40 million. Per season.
The Cowboys had waited too lengthy to get forward of the contract market, portray themselves right into a negotiating nook and watching Prescott wager on himself and a perpetually quarterback-starved league. And the predictable end result was coming nearer to fruition with every passing day: Dallas was going to pay so much greater than it or anybody else had imagined. By the spring of 2021, the wage goal settled proper into place by way of four-year, $160 million deal.
Now historical past seems to be repeating itself, with an excellent greater quantity inside attain for Prescott: $60 million per season.
A handful of brokers and NFL executives with expertise doing quarterback offers instructed Yahoo Sports activities they imagine that’s a quantity Prescott may now command in his subsequent extension, following the five-year, $275 million deal signed by Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence this week. Whereas the $55 million per season common is available in a tack-on deal that doesn’t technically start till 2026, the negotiating context is already set. The going fee for the top-shelf on the quarterback spot is $55 million per season. And the Jaguars ponied it up after they nonetheless had not less than 4 years of management left, by way of the remaining two years of Lawrence’s rookie deal after which two franchise tag years.
It is clear why this has such a dramatic affect on Prescott’s subsequent deal, with sufficient juice to push into the $60 million vary. Prescott has a no-tag clause as a part of his present deal. Which means he’s a free agent after 2024 with no strings hooked up. That leverage, together with a really robust argument that he’s a extra constant and achieved participant than Lawrence, offers the mandatory basis for a $60 million annual wage plateau. And barring a dramatic collapse after a 2023 season that noticed him end second in MVP voting, he’ll probably obtain it if he needs it.
“If cash is his precedence, he’ll get there,” one distinguished agent instructed Yahoo Sports activities. “Particularly if it will get to free company and there’s a couple of staff concerned.”
The agent wasn’t alone in his opinion. Two NFL executives with experiencing negotiating league-pacing quarterback offers echoed the sentiment. One of many executives added the context that he believes the pursuit of Prescott would rival the 2 greatest free-agent quarterback pursuits in league historical past — when Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and Peyton Manning signed with the Denver Broncos in 2012.
“[Prescott] would have his choose of groups and will do the free company [tour] the place he’s interviewing the groups relatively than vice versa,” the chief stated. “That’s what’s going to occur if he leaves Dallas and I’m certain he is aware of it.”
Curiously, there’s nonetheless an opportunity the excessive bar for the quarterback spot nonetheless hasn’t been locked in for this offseason. The Inexperienced Bay Packers are persevering with to work on a brand new deal for Jordan Love, whereas the Miami Dolphins are negotiating an extension for Tua Tagovailoa. Whereas it’s not anticipated that both will exceed the $55 million annual wage of Lawrence and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, that risk stays.
As of this week, the Cowboys and Prescott nonetheless haven’t engaged in talks on a brand new deal, resulting in the very actual risk that he’ll play out the 2024 season and take a look at free company. That stated, the vital juncture for the 2 sides is simply now opening, with a negotiating window that would prolong all the way in which to the primary week of the common season in September. Dallas additionally has urgent negotiations with wideout CeeDee Lamb, whose extension may method $35 million per season. Requested about his motivation to get a deal accomplished, Prescott stated he was leaving it as much as his illustration to work out any deal.
“Enterprise is enterprise,” Prescott stated because the Cowboys opened organized staff actions in Could. “I’ll depart it the place it will get dealt with. … I do know my enterprise will deal with itself. Been in it earlier than. Skilled, simply controlling what I can proper now.”
“I don’t play for cash. By no means have, by no means cared for it to be trustworthy with you. Would give it up simply to play this sport. So, I enable that to the enterprise individuals to say what it’s value, what they’re supposed to offer a quarterback of my play, an individual of my play, a frontrunner of my play, I assume you may say. For me, it’s about, as I stated, management what I can management and deal with that half and the remaining will deal with itself.”
