Is Dak Prescott's contract actually that bad

[Surfguy]

Dak got his money. Now, cut him and draft a QB that can actually run who is not pretending he is a great pocket passer by skewing his stats by beating up on lesser teams and only putting up good numbers against better teams in garbage time.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

What you're not taking and haven't into account is the existing $40m of CAP that's already being added within Dak's numbers....we were paying on credit during the 12-5 seasons...WHICH WAS FINE, BECAUSE THE INTENTION WAS ALWAYS TO EXTEND DAK AND SPREAD THE CAP (Caps for effect).
The problem is we are highly unlikely (but it's Jerry, so not impossible) to extend Dak in 2027/28.....which means if we're going to restructure him we're getting one hell of a one off bill in 2028.
For me, the worst part of the contract was the length as a longer deal (even a career ending) would of given a number of years to go ALL-IN...however I glad I'm wrong as it would of been an even more painful long drawn out death.

But that's the case for almost all teams. You push money to future, knowing you will have one heck of a dead cap to deal with. You take a one or two year lump and then rebuild.

Good teams will see success but badly personnel managed team will/may just teeter on the verge(see cowboys).

We should have been more competitive than we were but weren't. Now Jerry really andnopenly moving away from FA and trying to go the cheap route of draft and UDFA and given two bad drafts in a row we are seeing it fall apart.

This year the coaches quit. The players quit. The team is slowly quitting across the board. You are going to see a lot of hero ball play and individuals doing their own thing tunning out the coaches.

So if Jerry was any good he could easily sign a few key FA instead of trading 6th round picks for 3rd stringers of other teams and make a run next couple of years and take a hit in28.

In this day and age of cap, you don't really get dynasties unless you have a Brady or Mahomes and in the past 30 years there has only been 2 of them.

 

[FanofJerry]

But that's the case for almost all teams. You push money to future, knowing you will have one heck of a dead cap to deal with. You take a one or two year lump and then rebuild.

Good teams will see success but badly personnel managed team will/may just teeter on the verge(see cowboys).

We should have been more competitive than we were but weren't. Now Jerry really andnopenly moving away from FA and trying to go the cheap route of draft and UDFA and given two bad drafts in a row we are seeing it fall apart.

This year the coaches quit. The players quit. The team is slowly quitting across the board. You are going to see a lot of hero ball play and individuals doing their own thing tunning out the coaches.

So if Jerry was any good he could easily sign a few key FA instead of trading 6th round picks for 3rd stringers of other teams and make a run next couple of years and take a hit in28.

In this day and age of cap, you don't really get dynasties unless you have a Brady or Mahomes and in the past 30 years there has only been 2 of them.

Apparently we have to reinvent the wheel to deal with this issue...which sucks.

Teams have to run with rookie contracts, to beat Michael Jordan at QB.

What a sad time for NFL and the fans all because of numbers.

 

[FanofJerry]

The 'rookie QB' crap shoot can always score an 11 (that produces a 12) or it adds to the historical data a non-elite paid QB's that have got to a SB.
Dak's already shown he's not getting us there (possibly even if he played for nothing)...there is no possible way of alleviating the pressure in the play-offs to allow Dak to play Regular Season Form.
He crumbles when the pressure is on and he needs to step up.
The final reasoning for the Rookie approach is that how Dak got the easier ride into the NFL .....unfortunately you can't have both....especially as we're still paying off the $40m from the last contract and we've got the Jones' running the Franchise.

I dont know anything about the 11 and 12 score.

 

[CowboyoWales]

But that's the case for almost all teams. You push money to future, knowing you will have one heck of a dead cap to deal with. You take a one or two year lump and then rebuild.

.....but Dak's 4 year contract doesnt allow for that. His last contract forced $40m Dead Money, BECAUSE Jerry knew that in 2024 he was going to have to extend him to spread out the cost. From what we've seen NOT EVEN JERRY WOULD EXTEND DAK AGAIN, that, I think means that any restructured money gets paid off in full in 2028 along with his existing $71m CAP HIT (which will still be over 20% of the total CAP).

With the way we have looked, money committed and holes throughout the roster, most rational fans are looking to take the hit now, or cut Dak and our loses and maybe cut him as a Post 2026.

Dak insisting on 4 yours is crucial to why we cant restructure money, but the way he and the team played thank god he didnt do as I hoped and agreed to a career ending contract.

 

[Wangchung83]

Dak sucks and he has been grossly over paid for two contracts now. You don’t pay someone that kind of money in any field without having a proven track record of success. Jerry got us into this and I’ve jumped ship for the next four years. I’m watching more bucks games(like Baker and his chip), spending time with friends and family and my Sundays aren’t committed to watch the cowboys or any other team. Thanks Dak for clearing up my schedule for the unforeseen future. May watch today bc Dak isn’t playing, which gives us a chance, however, small that is.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

.....but Dak's 4 year contract doesnt allow for that. His last contract forced $40m Dead Money, BECAUSE Jerry knew that in 2024 he was going to have to extend him to spread out the cost. From what we've seen NOT EVEN JERRY WOULD EXTEND DAK AGAIN, that, I think means that any restructured money gets paid off in full in 2028 along with his existing $71m CAP HIT (which will still be over 20% of the total CAP).

With the way we have looked, money committed and holes throughout the roster, most rational fans are looking to take the hit now, or cut Dak and our loses and maybe cut him as a Post 2026.

Dak insisting on 4 yours is crucial to why we cant restructure money, but the way he and the team played thank god he didnt do as I hoped and agreed to a career ending contract.

That's bad cap management.

There are 9 QBs making 50M or more...you can't tell me 10M is causing havoc for us while everyone else is managing theirs.

We have a Stephen and Jerry issue. I agree with MM when he said teams sign their players in April and focus on filling the gaps in FA. They don't hamstring themselves until an hour before the first game of the season.

Cowboys now have a bad reputation in NFL among coaches and players.

By the way Dak can ask for whatever but he doesn't have to hand it out or structure it that way. There are things he could have done. But he milked that contract negotiation literally to the last minute for marketing and publicity. Therein lies the issue.

 

[CowboyoWales]

By the way Dak can ask for whatever but he doesn't have to hand it out or structure it that way. There are things he could have done. But he milked that contract negotiation literally to the last minute for marketing and publicity. Therein lies the issue.

As per usual, you dont address the points made and deflect with waffle. What does the above actually mean?

 

[FanofJerry]

That's bad cap management.

There are 9 QBs making 50M or more...you can't tell me 10M is causing havoc for us while everyone else is managing theirs.

We have a Stephen and Jerry issue. I agree with MM when he said teams sign their players in April and focus on filling the gaps in FA. They don't hamstring themselves until an hour before the first game of the season.

Cowboys now have a bad reputation in NFL among coaches and players.

By the way Dak can ask for whatever but he doesn't have to hand it out or structure it that way. There are things he could have done. But he milked that contract negotiation literally to the last minute for marketing and publicity. Therein lies the issue.

I can definitely see an issue with players and coaches arising if there is a mask that is being removed from the Cowboys FO strategy of 'hanging at the rim' for profit, refusing to sign players until last minute to drum up drama for the Org for profit...

Additionally, if Jerry interferes with Coaches being able to coach...

I dont know if all the NDA's Jerry has had people sign will protect him if a bunch of ex-coaches and ex-players that didnt have to sign those agreements start talking about how things are done at the Star.

Kinda seems like that is what is starting to take place.

 

[Vegas_Cowboy]

No, it's worse.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

As per usual, you dont address the points made and deflect with waffle. What does the above actually mean?

The issue is not Dak.
The issue is the GM.

Wanting to blame players and calling them.selfish as some do and this and that is meaningless.

Our wonderful GM is the root cause of all Cowboys issues.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I can definitely see an issue with players and coaches arising if there is a mask that is being removed from the Cowboys FO strategy of 'hanging at the rim' for profit, refusing to sign players until last minute to drum up drama for the Org for profit...

Additionally, if Jerry interferes with Coaches being able to coach...

I dont know if all the NDA's Jerry has had people sign will protect him if a bunch of ex-coaches and ex-players that didnt have to sign those agreements start talking about how things are done at the Star.

Kinda seems like that is what is starting to take place.

Some of the players who have left do talk that Cowboys aren't about football or football focused.

Coaches throw out subtle messages like MM did in how we proceeded with player signings in off season.

 

[CowboyoWales]

The issue is not Dak.
The issue is the GM.

Wanting to blame players and calling them.selfish as some do and this and that is meaningless.

Our wonderful GM is the root cause of all Cowboys issues.

Not arguing that it's Jerry....but Dak's contract is going to contribute to a couple of difficult years. As ive said, the real killer aspect of the contract was that it was for 4 years and that's on Dak.

 

[erod]

His contract hasn't even started yet.

It's an unmitigated disaster.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

X gadzillions.

Anyone who thinks this isn't a huge negative effect on the salary cap/team just does not want to see it.

No, no, all the spreadsheet math geniuses say that it's free money, no time constraints, rack up as big a bill as you want and you don't have to pay up until you want.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Not arguing that it's Jerry....but Dak's contract is going to contribute to a couple of difficult years. As ive said, the real killer aspect of the contract was that it was for 4 years and that's on Dak.

Yes. Not arguing that but idiot GM needs to manage it so that push mo ey to future years as you said and take a big hit...but at least 3 years down the line.

Stephen and Jerry are awful at cap management. Hate to see the Cowboys having become a joke

 

[5Stars]

In terms of overall QB play this season the top 15 list would arguably look something along the lines of:

Lamar Jackson
Josh Allen
Jared Goff
Jayden Daniels
Joe Burrow
Jalen Hurts
Patrick Mahomes
Justin Herbert
C J Stroud
Kyler Murray
Sam Darnold
Baker Mayfield
Kirk Cousins
Jordan Love
Matthew Stafford

A few quarterbacks can be moved around here and there plus there's a case for the likes of Purdy and Williams to be in the top 15 but in general, it's not an outlandish list.

The point being Dak Prescott is no where to be seen within the top 15 quarterbacks in the league this season and for good reason.

Realistically going forwards with the likes of Caleb Williams and Bo Nix likely to improve a whole lot more and even accounting for say Darnold, Mayfield and Cousins struggling to back up their form into next season and the potential of Stafford and/or Rodgers retiring, do people really see Prescott getting himself into the top 10 ranked quarterbacks next season?

In terms of big name quarterback contracts on the horizon how many are there? Purdy at the end of this season, C J Stroud likely in 2026 and perhaps Josh Allen at some point during that period to restructure his contract given he's only in the low 40s at this time and to spread the cap hit of his next contract with the Bills.

Other than that there are not too many more before Prescott's contract will be up for renewal again - perhaps his will be a year after a bunch of the top 10 guys. The point being that when we look back at the highest earning quarterbacks over the 9 years prior to Prescott's current contract expiring, he will have likely been either the highest earner or at least a top 3 earning QB over those 9 years! Astounding really given the horrific ROI in terms of relevant performance to the team winning important games against good teams. It also completely blows out the water the ridiculous notion/assertion that, "his contract will be around the 15th highest paid quarterback in a year or two" - no it will not!

I am very interested to find out how much Purdy is offered by the 49ers. I do not think it will be $60+ million a year. I think he will take a commercial view and be pleased to take a bit less to stay and play for a good team rather than earning more on a bad team. In those circumstances, I wouldn't be surprised if he accepted around $50 million a year. But who knows, the 49ers might be the next team to massively overpay for a solid NFL starting quarterback. Again, it is noticeable that his overall use and performance is increased when he scrambles and moves to acquire first downs or extend plays which leads me to my next point...

My final observation is that of the above top 10 ranked NFL quarterbacks in the league this season, only Goff lacks mobility. The other 9 can all move at will to extend plays and rush for a much needed first down. Same rules apply to the young quarterbacks coming through like Love, Nix and Williams. If you are planning to pay top dollar to a quarterback then surely they require some mobility in the modern NFL? If not then pay them around the $45-$50 million range to compensate for that to facilitate the payment of two stud running backs like Montgomery and Gibbs or draft a stud RB in the first round like Robinson...

Whichever way people try to dress it up, the latest Dak Prescott contract looks to have been an awful progress stopping decision and one that will kneecap the team for several years to come.

Fair play to him though as he will have brought in $400+ million over 9 years - Jerry must be in a whole world of pain right now!

It's only bad for the players that are not in the "brother hood". Dak does not play for money, he said so.

 

[Bob-Lillys-War]

Dak's contract is atrocious .

Who pays 240 million to a player that could be replaced by an average QB ?