FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott mentioned he doesn’t want a contract extension to be accomplished earlier than the season begins Sept. 8 towards the Cleveland Browns.
However does Prescott need it completed?
“I believe it says lots whether it is or if it is not,” Prescott mentioned Thursday. “However ‘nonetheless’ would not actually matter to me, to be sincere with you.”
What does it say if a deal shouldn’t be accomplished?
“Simply how individuals really feel,” Prescott mentioned.
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On Wednesday, proprietor and common supervisor Jerry Jones was requested what extra he must see from Prescott to ensure that a deal to get accomplished.
“You possibly can simply say, ‘If you have not seen it by now, you have not seen it,'” Jones mentioned. “I am such a fan of Dak’s and admire the entire nice issues that everyone knows that’s there. And I admire his work ethic greater than something out right here. I can not inform you how proud I’m that we have got him this 12 months to start out this marketing campaign. …
“Whenever you take a look at a state of affairs, you have additionally bought to weigh, ‘OK, what are the results of the opposite facet of the coin?’ And so Dak’s state of affairs proper now for me, from my mirror, has extra to do with our state of affairs than it does with the deserves of Dak Prescott being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.”
Prescott mentioned he understands Jones’ considering.
“That is the enterprise and the character of this recreation that we play,” Prescott mentioned. “Yeah, I imply, I finished, truthfully, listening to issues that he says to the media a very long time in the past. Does not actually maintain weight with me.”
Prescott is about to play on the ultimate 12 months of a four-year, $160 million deal he signed in 2021. He’s scheduled to make $29 million this season and rely $55 million towards the wage cap.
Inexperienced Bay’s Jordan Love, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow are the highest-paid quarterbacks at $55 million per season, adopted by Detroit’s Jared Goff at $53 million.
The Cowboys have had discussions with Prescott’s agent, Todd France, all through the summer season, however a deal doesn’t appear shut. Prescott mentioned it might be as much as France and the group if negotiations proceed into the common season, not him.
The Cowboys and France negotiated over a number of years earlier than their settlement in 2021. The Cowboys have solely a matter of months now as a result of they can’t place the franchise tag on Prescott after the season, which is able to enable him to hit the open market subsequent March.
If that occurs, Prescott will rely $40 million towards the Cowboys’ 2025 wage cap.
Prescott has mentioned on quite a few events he desires to stay with the Cowboys, however he has acknowledged there could possibly be a future with him taking part in in one other uniform.
“I am tremendous blessed to play this recreation, to be in Yr 9, to really feel as I do, wholesome as I do, as assured as I’m, the expertise that I’ve had. I am blessed to play this recreation,” Prescott mentioned. “I am getting paid some huge cash to do it. I’ve already bought paid. To receives a commission once more, that is simply a part of it. I am due up for that whether or not it is signing right here or whether or not it is some place else that I do not care to consider at this second. It is all a part of it.
“For me, it is like I mentioned, it is about controlling what I can and being one of the best model of myself, greatest chief and ensure all these guys in right here perceive that we’re on a mission. It isn’t about subsequent 12 months proper now. It isn’t about my contract. It isn’t about something however preparing for Recreation 1 towards the Browns. Easy as that.”
He’s amongst a lot of key gamers, comparable to Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence, about to enter the ultimate 12 months of their contracts. Mike McCarthy and your entire teaching employees can be on the ultimate 12 months of their contracts.
“Actually, you gotta like it. You gotta embrace it,” Prescott mentioned. “That is the problem. As soon as once more, because the gamers and the coaches, [we] haven’t got the total say in whether or not we’re right here or not. It is about us controlling what we are able to. Proper now, it is about sticking collectively, making this locker room, embracing this tradition, embracing each other, not placing essentially stress on ourselves however understanding that this crew will not be the identical after this — whether or not it’s coaches, whether or not it’s the gamers, whether or not it’s among the key items. I simply doubt it will likely be the identical. And that is the enterprise of it. Yeah, it is now. Interval.”
