NFL free agency is right around the corner and when it comes to the Dallas Cowboys the first topic that gets talked about is the long-term future of Quarterback Dak Prescott. The four-year pro is set to be an unrestricted free agent in March, although all signs point to a marriage between himself and the organization moving forward.
Earlier this month, Executive Vice President Stephen Jones stated how important it was to get their franchise signal-caller locked up for the foreseeable future. “We've got to land the plane and get his deal done,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “He's our quarterback of the future. I'll take him any time when you go to war against these guys. We're fortunate to have him.
It's not hard to understand why Jones is so sure Prescott is the guy going forward based on his 2019 season. He allowed fellow 2016 draftees Carson Wentz and Jared Goff to reset the quarterback market. Couple that with turning down an earlier offer from the Cowboys, Prescott bet on himself this season, and it paid off. He finished second in the NFL with 4,902 passing yards, just one yard shy of the franchise record set by Tony Romo in 2012. His 30 touchdowns were a career-high and finished fourth league-wide. Safe to say Prescott's decision to play things out worked out for him.
Yesterday, Prescott gave some insight into how he sees his long-term financial future playing out. He told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on the RapSheet + Friends podcast that he has “confidence something will get done” when it comes to landing a new deal.
“I've got confidence something will get done that's good for both of us,” Prescott said. “Being the Cowboys' QB is second to none. There are very few positions in all of the sports that are comparable.”
Prescott has every reason to be confident. He has far exceeded any expectations that were put on him as a fourth-round pick. It's clear at this point, he should've been a first-rounder and any doubts about his talent or if he could perform with the better quarterbacks in the league have been put to bed. With a 40-24 record as a starter, he's averaging a 10-6 record every season, which will get you in the playoffs more times than not.
Locking down Prescott long-term would set the Cowboys up for success for years to come. All-Pro Ezekiel Elliott is under contract until 2026. Amari Cooper is set to hit free agency also but he's been put as the top priority after Prescott is signed. Michael Gallup had a breakout 2019 and is one of the brightest young talents at the wide receiver position. Four of the Cowboys five offensive linemen (Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, and La'el Collins) are all locked up with long-term deals. Too much potential for big things to break this up wouldn't you say?
It's only a matter of time before Prescott is signed to a lucrative contract, it makes too much sense not to. You've got arguably the best running back in the NFL, one of the best duos at wide receiver, and three all-pro offensive linemen. Once Prescott puts the ink to the paper, the Cowboys will secure one of the league's best offenses for years to come.
