Dak Prescott is not worried about his Dallas Cowboys future.
While speaking at a Children’s Cancer Fund event in Dallas, Texas on Friday, April 19, Prescott talked to reporters about his uncertain future with the Cowboys as he enters the final year of his contract without a new one. He said that he is not afraid of the situation.
Via Jon Machota of The Athletic:
“I have no fears,” Prescott said. “I'm not going to mention that I'm afraid of being here or not. I'm not afraid of either situation, honestly. I enjoy this game. I like playing and improving myself as a player and my teammates around me.
The Cowboys have emphasized that Prescott is part of their future. However, without a contract in place, Prescott could easily leave in free agency next year. As Machota points out, Prescott mentioned that he has talked to team owner Jerry Jones, but contract discussions have not yet started.
The 30-year-old quarterback states that he is “focused” on the present.
“I’m focused on here and now, where I am,” Prescott said. “That's always been my approach. I've been in this situation before, so it's fine. I'm okay in any situation, whether it's betting on myself or playing this year out. Right now, it's with the Dallas Cowboys. That's where I want to be and that's where I am. That's my focus. After the season, we'll see where we're at and what the future holds. If not, we'll go from there.”
Cowboys Still Plan to Sign Dak Prescott to New Contract
Based upon Spotrac’s estimated value of Prescott, the 2023 NFL MVP runner-up, is at $50.8 million per year over four seasons, totaling over $203 million.
According to a report from CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson last month, the Cowboys still “intend” to reach an agreement for their three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
“Regarding the #Cowboys and Dak Prescott, I’m told the team does intend to negotiate a contract for their 3x-Pro Bowl quarterback and also hasn't ruled out the possibility of finalizing a deal for him this year, according to a source,” wrote Anderson on March 27. “While there's currently no offer or imminent talks, the team is not currently planning to let Prescott go to free agency, despite some talk suggesting otherwise, I'm told.”
Why Cowboys Might Consider Letting Dak Prescott to Depart
The experienced quarterback is definitely one of the top passers in the NFL. He’s coming off arguably his best season yet after leading the NFL in touchdown throws (36) and being selected to the All-Pro team for the first time. He also achieved career highs with 410 completions and a 105.9 passer rating.
However, the lack of success in the playoffs is a blemish on Prescott’s record. In his eight years as Dallas’ starting quarterback, Prescott has only won 2 out of 5 playoff games and has never progressed beyond the divisional round. Making matters worse is that Prescott has a 1-3 record at home in the playoffs, with the most recent loss being a 48-32 defeat against the least experienced team in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers.
If the Cowboys truly want Prescott to stay, delaying any longer becomes a lose-lose situation. As mentioned earlier, Prescott can simply opt to leave Dallas next year if there's no deal in place. There will always be teams eager to sign quarterbacks, and as shown by the Atlanta Falcons’ $180 million deal with Kirk Cousins — who has a 1-3 playoff record — Prescott's lack of playoff success won't stop teams from trying to sign him.
We'll find out if the Cowboys manage to make an agreement with Prescott. But if they take longer, it raises more doubts about Prescott's future in Dallas.
