Yesterday on 105.3 The Fan Chris Simms of NBC Sports mentioned that Dak Prescott's representatives have come back to the negotiating table with a new ask. As has been reported for a while now, Dak Prescott and his team have been seeking a four-year deal, which would allow him to reach free agency at age 30. On the flip side, the Cowboys have been hoping to lock Prescott up for five years in his new deal.
As Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan and Cowboys Maven on Sports Illustrated has reported, the Dallas Cowboys have offered a five-year $175 million contract that would come to $35 million a year. Dak Prescott and his people would prefer a four-year contract at the same average annual salary. Fisher also outlines the ins and outs of the current ask and what it means.
In a four-year deal, Dak Prescott would hit free agency again in the offseason of 2023, just after the NFL and the television networks new deal for the broadcast rights would go into effect. The next T.V. deal is expected to be a huge revenue boon for the NFL, which would escalate the salary cap and players' salaries across the league. Prescott and his representatives want to be able to get a new contract early in the next television deal.
The Dallas Cowboys would like the fifth year of control of their franchise quarterback in the hopes of delaying his next mega-deal until 2024 instead of Prescott's desired 2023.
In order to give up the ability to go into free agency at age 30 instead of age 31, Dak Prescott's representatives have asked the Cowboys for $45 million as the price for a fifth year on the deal. That would mean, that instead of five years $175 million, it would be five years and $185 million or an average annual value of $37 million a year.
While the $45 million number is a shocking amount to hear, think of it in terms of the average annual value for the life of the contract. That's just $2 million more a year than the current offer from the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys may not agree to that number, but the gap is narrowing for the Cowboys and Prescott.
As we've discussed a lot over the last several months, the biggest sticking point has been the number of years in the new agreement. Now a fifth year looks to be on the table.
Remember, this is all a part of the negotiations. Prescott's representatives know the Cowboys want five years so they're going to make the Cowboys pay handsomely for that fifth year. It may not come down to the most latest figures being proposed, but you can bet that Prescott would see a pay raise in year five that would make it worth his while.
In turn, the Cowboys could continue to hold steady at their previous offer of five years $175 million ($35 million a year) and hope that the price for that fifth year comes down a bit more.
In a negotiation, you never start with the number you're willing to accept. So while Prescott's representatives have reportedly thrown out $45 million as a year five salary, the reality is they'd probably be willing to take less to have the Cowboys buy a year of Prescott's future free agency. And that's what this all really comes down to.
There's still nearly two months until the NFL's deadline for players to sign their franchise tags. Plenty of time to get a contract finalized. Now that the Cowboys front office is back inside The Star in Frisco and the likelihood that the NFL will begin to hold practices at some point soon, the Cowboys and Prescott will be motivated to get a deal done. That's all the momentum they'll need to get a deal.
The Dallas Cowboys want Dak Prescott to be their quarterback. Dak Prescott will be the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Everyone involved in the negotiations wants a deal to happen. When there's motivation from all parties involved to come to an agreement, an agreement will come.
