The Cowboys and Prescott have kept the lines of communication open. No public demand have been made or timelines imposed .
The Cap maneuver to save 5 million in March was significant. It doesn’t sound like much but the club had to add two voidable years to his contract on top of the two voidable years that already existed. Prescott and his representatives had to agree to those years. Why would Prescott do that if he felt his time in Dallas was coming to an end?
While there are no fast and hard-line deadlines until he reaches free agency, there are some practical flash points along the way . One has already passed.
If the two sides were close a deal would have already been done which could have allowed the Cowboys more Cap space to retain more of their veterans and or activity in FA. Unless those releases and inactivity were planned. Since that has passed there’s really no urgency to get a deal done in the next few weeks.
The next flash point will be training camp and beginning of season. If a deal isn’t done by then the dynamics of these negotiations changes dramatically. At that point the assumption would be made that the time with Prescott would be nearing an end.
The deeper this goes into the season the less likely it’s resolved losing the good faith . And with the HC on final season of his deal the season could begin to unravel.
What are the financial ramifications if Prescott leaves to FA? His Cap hit for 2025 would be about 40 million. That’s the price of doing all of those restructures.
Most likely the Cowboys are far apart at this time in negotiations. Rumors are he’s looking for something near the 55 million per year Burrows recently signed and well above the 51 and 52 million Jackson, Herbert and Hurt signed. Which would be setting a new market price or close to it. Pretty typical in NFL as Caps continue rising each season.
IMO at this time Prescott has the leverage and our owners are trying to play public perception by waiting. Ultimately the Jones will have to cave in or face moving on. Nobody knows what will happen but it’s difficult imagining the Cowboys will want to risk this season unraveling. And since they’re going to be hung with such a huge Cap hit in 2025 as well it seems likely they’ll get an extension before season begins even if it’s only a couple years.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and own interpretation of the facts. Jerry has done some stupid things before, so I will not say that Jerry absolutely will not cave in and back up the Brinks truck for Dak. But I don’t “think” that will happen.
1. I think the luster has worn off of Dak. Dak has pretty consistently wilted against the better teams and in the playoffs. The Dak Fan Bois will ignore this but I don’t think Jerry will. This is the bone of contention that has kept Jerry from backing up the Brinks truck for Dak so far.
2. Jerry bet and lost last time Dak had a contract come up for renewal. I don’t think that even Jerry would make that same mistake twice.
3. Cap boy has more say than ever before and he is much more willing to let guys walk than Jerry was.
4. If we planned on keeping Dak around we would have freed up cap and been more active in free agency.
5. I think Dak’s greed (along with his agent) have/will sour the Cowboys on bringing Dak back on a new deal.
6. I think a trade is being explored. Dak will get paid by his new team and waive the no trade clause. I think this is the most reasonable interpretation of the known facts.
7. The Lance trade was the first bread crumb to fall that the Cowboys saw Dak’s demands on the horizon and were of the opinion that they would not be willing to pay Dak.
8. Whether you move on from Dak, or pay Dak $60m per year, either path will prevent you from winning a SB next year. But at least not paying Dak gives you options going forward.
9. Everything the Cowboys have done SO FAR indicates that they are willing to walk away from Dak. Why shouldn’t we believe them? I think if Jerry was going to extend Dak he would have already done so.
