Tom Brady is a great example of what I am talking about. He has continuously taken less money than he otherwise could have got otherwise. By taking less money, that allowed the Pats to put a better team around him. As a result, the Pats had an elite QB and a quality team around him for the past decade and they just kept on winning.
The Tom Brady situation is exactly what Dallas should be going for.
https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-brady-contract-discounts-patriots-bargain-2018-7
That's a long article going over just how much Brady gave up. Basically, in order to win in the NFL, it REALLY REALLY REALLY helps if you underpay your QB. That is so obvious its not funny. Why is this concept even remotely controversial?
That is a simplistic view of why the Patriots have continued to win. Brady didn't leave money on the table on his first extension, he was one of the highest paid players in the league. The Pats continue to win, not because Brady takes less, but because they are very, very good as an organization at scouting and evaluating players that can fill a role and fit in their system, they traditionally don't pay premiums to retain players or sign FAs. They are also very good and active in trades and acquiring draft picks. They are also very good at adapting not just to other teams, but adapting to the players they have.
They release or trade players versus paying top dollar quite often, then they bring cheaper options that can fill the role. They probably wouldn't have resigned DLaw, especially when refusing to get surgery until a deal was done, when Solder wanted more money they let him walk, same with Trey Flowers, instead of resigning Cooks to a big contract, they traded him for a 1st rd pick.
If Dak signed for $25 instead of $30, that $5 million difference isn't going to be the the reason we can keep DLaw, Coop, Byron, Zeke, etc. One player's contract isn't going to make or break a team, it's all the other contracts and players combined. It only works if they all take less and that's not going to happen, especially when it's all these players first opportunity at signing for big money. Fans can talk about team, but it's a business and the player's are looking for security especially on that first big contract. Their careers and earning potential can end on one play, one injury and endorsements end with it. Fans may support that player in spirit, but they are not going to support him financially, they'll just move onto his replacement and start buying the new guy's jersey.