FRISCO – It was one of the most controversial moves of the NFL season, and because it involved Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys and $240 million?
The controversy isn’t going away anytime soon.
As the 4-7 Cowboys enter their Week 13 Thanksgiving matchup against the New York Giants, there are any number of other storylines. Nevertheless, a recent TV conversation involving legendary Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson broached the subject of Prescott and his money …
And Jimmy decided to speak out about the deal he believes was a mistake.
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As it happens, Prescott is now out with a season-ending injury (hamstring), so Dallas is starting Cooper Rush in his place. … thus ending the hope that Dak would in 2024 live up to the controversial four-year, $240 million contract extension that he signed in September that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
Did he perform well enough in 2023 to earn the deal? Dak did finish second in MVP voting last year. Still, during a guest appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd, former the Hall of Famer Johnson, the co-architect of the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl wins in the 1990s, asserted that the franchise made a mistake in giving Prescott that deal.
“I would never have given Prescott a new contract,” Jimmy said. I’d have let him play it out.”
As Cowboys fans know, that was certainly an option. But it was the Cowboys position that the $60 million per year deal he received would’ve been topped had he been allowed to be a free agent in 2025 … and that if he left, the void on the roster would be a large one.
Dallas is now essentially locked into Dak for two more seasons before his contract allows an escape hatch. That means the Cowboys need big-time production in the next two seasons … but it all also leads to some misunderstanding about how Dallas’ cap works – even from Johnson.
They’re so financially-strapped right now,” Johnson said. “I don’t know what they do.”
That’s actually not factual. While some reports claim Dallas “is projected to have just over $25 million in cap space available in the 2025 offseason,” the truth is that by “keeping their powder dry” in 2024, the Cowboys are in position to “Blow It Up” and remodel for 2025 with a possible $100 million in cap room – and that’s with Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and (per the plan) Micah Parsons all with new deals.
Nevertheless, while we will debate Johnson’s point about being “financially-strapped,” his point about Prescott being worth $60 million per year has merit … and will be considered controversial until he proves to be a big-time postseason winner in Dallas.
