Projected Contract for Dak - 6 years, $171M with $45M SB, and $90M Guaranteed

[JJHLH1]

Daks winning ways are more attributed to his elite surrounding support. Without it the results are much less favorable.

Dak has certainly benefitted from having a good team around him. But the team was 4-12 the year before he arrived so I wouldn’t classify it as elite.

 

[Diehardblues]

The point people miss is the only reason he will be paid at what they think of as an elite level is because his contract is up now, and those of the truly elite are not.

It’s not a reflection of how Dak compares to elite QBs, it’s just a different market than when others negotiated their contracts.

If Rodgers, Roethlesberger and others were negotiating contracts at the same point in time Dak would not end up paid at their elite level, but salaries don’t just freeze for all other QBs until the next time the elite QBs contracts come up to set a new market level.

Right. Wilson’s new contract is a great example.

 

[Diehardblues]

Dak has certainly benefitted from having a good team around him. But the team was 4-12 the year before he arrived so I wouldn’t classify it as elite.

It was 4-12 the year before only because Romo went down as were 3-1 before his injury. And was 12-4 the year before winning a playoff game. You’re spinning facts now to support your narrative.

No one really believes the 4-12 reflected the talented level of that team. We just didn’t have any type of backup QB. Dak finally provided the best back up we’d had in this era.

 

[Diehardblues]

I know it will never happen but it would be fascinating to see what would transpire if Dak played out his contract and was given the opportunity to put himself on the market.

I think some people here would be surprised.

Although there is always the Commanders.

Right . Dak would gain similar interest in a team that had most of the parts just needing a solid bus driving caliber QB. There is still much value. But there wouldn’t be interest from a team building from the ground up. He’s not that type of franchise QB.

 

[blueblood70]

Yes yes indeed. Total passing yards is the best way to evaluate how good as QB is.

How many games do you need to see Stafford piss away by throwing terrible interceptions to understand the type of player he is?

How many times do we need to see Cousins throw away a game late in the 4th quarter?

cousins was 30-10 td -int like Romo Stafford and Cousins may not be elite but you can judge a QB solely on their numbers, more than team records.. Cousins sure must have blown ton of games at 30-10 LMAO..they are all overpaid but Dak as smooth natural passer is not on ROMO, Stafford, or Cousins level..None are perfect but Daks fumbles early in last seasons and late in 2017 are basically INT ie TOs..so its all relative.. I like Dak but lets be real..hes bit lacking in explosive passing numbers..thats what QBs shoud do , strive to be the best PASSERS they can b and numbers sort that out.. W-L are team deals and sometimes QB force passes late because their team is down and not always their fault..

 

[OmerV]

It was 4-12 the year before only because Romo went down as were 3-1 before his injury. And was 12-4 the year before winning a playoff game. Your spinning facts to support your narrative.

No one really believes the 4-12 reflected the talented level of that team. We just didn’t have any type of QB. Dak finally provided the best back up we’d had in this era.

Of course, what the conclusion is from what you wrote is that it took a good QB to make that team successful, and therefore they must have had a strong QB both the year before (Romo) and the year after (Dak) the 4-12 season.

 

[blueblood70]

It was 4-12 the year before only because Romo went down as were 3-1 before his injury. And was 12-4 the year before winning a playoff game. You’te spinning facts to support your narrative.

No one really believes the 4-12 reflected the talented level of that team. We just didn’t have any type of backup QB. Dak finally provided the best back up we’d had in this era.

yup no defense average RG, and QB carousel of He...LL 2017 is not on Romo..jeez..

 

[OmerV]

Right . Dak would gain similar interest in a team that had most of the parts just needing a solid bus driving caliber QB. There is still much value. But there wouldn’t be interest from a team building from the ground up. He’s not that type of franchise QB.

Teams building from the ground up don’t get to pick and choose the proven elite players, they have to choose from what is available. I would agree such a team choosing from a top 5 draft pick or Dak would go with the draft pick, but if they had to choose from available free agents it very well could be Dak would be the best choice. It all depends on who is on the market at the time.

 

[JJHLH1]

It was 4-12 the year before only because Romo went down as were 3-1 before his injury. And was 12-4 the year before winning a playoff game. You’Te spinning facts now to support your narrative.

No one really believes the 4-12 reflected the talented level of that team. We just didn’t have any type of backup QB. Dak finally provided the best back up we’d had in this era.

I’m not spinning anything. Just pointing out facts.

You are making my case for me. The Cowboys went 4-12 because they didn’t have a good QB once Romo got injured. Dak played so well the team benched Romo in favor of Dak.

 

[Diehardblues]

Of course, what the conclusion is from what you wrote is that it took a good QB to make that team successful, and therefore they must have had a strong QB both the year before (Romo) and the year after (Dak) the 4-12 season.

I think that’s a reasonable assertion. We could expand the discussion but I see no need at this point.

 

[Diehardblues]

I’m not spinning anything. Just pointing out facts.

You are making my case for me. The Cowboys went 4-12 because they didn’t have a good QB once Romo got injured. Dak played so well the team benched Romo in favor of Dak.

Correct. But your initial post came off as Dak improved a 4-12 team . It was already a playoff caliber team less a QB.

And they did bench Romo which I’d argue wasn’t the best decision for Cowboys Football at least in playoffs.

I’ll always believe that offense would have been more explosive with Romo. And more apt to advance against the Packers.

 

[Diehardblues]

Teams building from the ground up don’t get to pick and choose the proven elite players, they have to choose from what is available. I would agree such a team choosing from a top 5 draft pick or Dak would go with the draft pick, but if they had to choose from available free agents it very well could be Dak would be the best choice. It all depends on who is on the market at the time.

Yep

Those teams wouldn’t be pursuing a FA QB. Which means Daks prospects could be limited much like Cousins were or a Foles for example.

I truly believe Daks situation dictates his success more than his passing ability.

I’m not sure Dak turns around a Browns team like Mayfield has. Or makes a Chiefs team instant SB contender. I think he falls somewhere down into the next category which is where we are. And hopefully we’ll pay him as such.

 

[Wood]

At the minimum, Dak will make $28M per season. He's done more than Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Kirk Cousins, and deserves to be better paid than any of those players. Let's say, 6 years, 171M - an average of $28.5M, with a $45M signing bonus, and $90M guaranteed over the first 3 seasons.

2019 - $45M signing bonus, $3M salary = $12M Salary CAP hit - $90M Dead Money
2020 - $20M Restructure Bonus, $1M salary = $14M Salary CAP hit - $78M Dead Money
2021 - $21M Salary = $34M Salary CAP hit - $64M Dead Money
2022 - $23M Salary = $36M Salary CAP hit - $30M Dead Money - 4th year out, save $6M against CAP
2023 - $23M Salary = $36M Salary CAP hit - $17M Dead Money - 5th year out, save $19M against CAP
2024 - $32M Salary = $36M Salary CAP hit - $4M Dead Money - 6th year out, save $32M against CAP

DAK gets paid $69M over first two seasons - an average of $34.5M per season. He is guaranteed $90M over first 3 seasons, an average of $30M per season. The Cowboys defer the CAP hits on Dak for years 1 & 2 of the contract, but can decide to eat the 3rd year, and after that, they can actually save money against the CAP by cutting Dak.

Even at a CAP hit of $36M per season, the Salary CAP is expected to be around $220M in 2022, so that is only 16% of the overall Salary CAP - which is about right for a top QB. If Dak fails to continue to improve, then the Cowboys have an out in Year 4. But if he wins a Super Bowl or two over the next 6 years, while the top QB contracts rise to about $45M per season, the Cowboys will have made a bargain deal.

those numbers are on high side but its possible. I still think Dallas feels they need Dak yearly number to be around $25 mill year so they can surround him with necessary talent.

 

[Kevinicus]

At the minimum, Dak will make $28M per season. He's done more than Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Kirk Cousins, and deserves to be better paid than any of those players. Let's say, 6 years, 171M - an average of $28.5M, with a $45M signing bonus, and $90M guaranteed over the first 3 seasons.

2019 - $45M signing bonus, $3M salary = $12M Salary CAP hit - $90M Dead Money
2020 - $20M Restructure Bonus, $1M salary = $14M Salary CAP hit - $78M Dead Money
2021 - $21M Salary = $34M Salary CAP hit - $64M Dead Money
2022 - $23M Salary = $36M Salary CAP hit - $30M Dead Money - 4th year out, save $6M against CAP
2023 - $23M Salary = $36M Salary CAP hit - $17M Dead Money - 5th year out, save $19M against CAP
2024 - $32M Salary = $36M Salary CAP hit - $4M Dead Money - 6th year out, save $32M against CAP

DAK gets paid $69M over first two seasons - an average of $34.5M per season. He is guaranteed $90M over first 3 seasons, an average of $30M per season. The Cowboys defer the CAP hits on Dak for years 1 & 2 of the contract, but can decide to eat the 3rd year, and after that, they can actually save money against the CAP by cutting Dak.

Even at a CAP hit of $36M per season, the Salary CAP is expected to be around $220M in 2022, so that is only 16% of the overall Salary CAP - which is about right for a top QB. If Dak fails to continue to improve, then the Cowboys have an out in Year 4. But if he wins a Super Bowl or two over the next 6 years, while the top QB contracts rise to about $45M per season, the Cowboys will have made a bargain deal.

Your 1st statement is false, so not bothering with the rest.

 

[InTheZone]

and how do people see these figures and not just want to draft another QB, pay the minimum? Dak makes the team better? All those games we watch in misery as the ball floats to the sideline or falls short while the offense seems hopeless and we want to pay this much "because that's the market"? This is a serious question, but please don't take it personally.

 

[Cebrin]

I chose the wrong profession.

 

[buybuydandavis]

$90M guaranteed over the first 3 seasons.

Think of how solid you could make this team by spreading that 30mil/year around, and then finding the best el cheapo running QB you can and actually running him.

We got Dak at the bottom of the 4th. Running QBs don't cost jack. They give your team an added dimension Brady doesn't, and the Cowboys as currently configured are one of the best teams to make use of running QBs as a complement to Zeke and the oline.

Keep running QBs coming, and run them.

Yeah, we'd rather have Brady, but he's in short supply. Do you really think QBs with Dak's skills are in that short supply? I think QBs with Dak's *opportunities* are in short supply.

 

[Cowboys22]

You wouldn't pay him 28 a year but you would franchise tag him for what should be around 30 next year?

Yes. After him playing for $2 million this year, I’d franchise him hoping someone would sign him and I would get multiple picks back in return. If he signed the franchise tag, I could still trade him but I would be fine paying him that for one more year. That would be $32 million for the next two years. I’m fine paying him that to see where he is at in two years. What I’m not fine with is paying him $28 million for the next 6 years and have him never get any better. Seeing what he becomes in the next two years for an average of $16 million a year or getting two nice picks for him next year is the path I would take.

 

[Hadenough]

Of course, what the conclusion is from what you wrote is that it took a good QB to make that team successful, and therefore they must have had a strong QB both the year before (Romo) and the year after (Dak) the 4-12 season.

I love the way people are discounting the fact that Zeke was added the same year with Dak but they want give Dak credit for all those wins. Plus this defense right now is the best it's been in 12 years.

 

[Cowboys22]

We're talking about a team that tried to trade into a position to draft Paxton Lynch, and then Connor Cook. Same GM -- and same guy who's paid like a GM but without the title -- making the decisions. Dak is the 8th-highest rated passer over his three seasons. The percentage play is to try to keep him and hope he doesn't ask for the moon.

That would be nice but $28 million is way over the moon for Dak. I don’t care about rating and completion percentage for a QB that rarely pulls the trigger down field. Any objection person knows his stats are scewed by his constant check downs. I like Dak and hope he stays in Dallas but I don’t want them to overpay to the effect of destroying the ability to put together a total team capable of winning.