Is Dak Prescott’s Time in Dallas About Done?

Yesterday, the Dallas Cowboys made some major waves by signing wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a massive 4 year, $136 million dollar deal. The new contract is one of the largest in NFL history for a non-Quarterback. So, kind of a big deal.

However, the new contract may have some major implications on the Cowboys' future because CeeDee Lamb wasn't the only expiring contract. Dak Prescott is set to be a free agent at the end of this season. Micah Parsons has one more year left. Then there's a couple other guys that have contracts coming up and fast. And due to the salary cap, it's unlikely that the Cowboys will be able to retain all these stars.

Is CeeDee Lamb's Contract the Beginning of the End for Dak Prescott?

Haughton, Louisiana's own Dak Prescott has been the face of the Cowboys since taking over for Tony Romo in 2016. And according to all reports, the Cowboys want to get a deal done with Prescott. And, it would seem, that Dak wants to stay in Dallas. However, they have a few major hurdles to clear:

• They Can't Use a Franchise Tag on Dak Prescott
• The Cowboys are going to have to do some major work to get under the salary cap
• They have other stars they will either need to sign, trade or let walk away. 

Dak is currently making about $40 million dollars. At that price point, the Cowboys could likely restructure some deals to get under the salary cap. However, since Dak signed his extension with the Cowboys in 2020, 13 other QBs have signed deals worth more than what Dak is currently getting paid. Prescott may not be the best QB in the NFL, but arguably he's top 10...which would mean he's due for a pretty good pay bump. Which could cause some issues for the Cowboys - they'd be very limited on who they could resign over the next couple of years. Which could mean the departure of guys like Micah Parsons.

Most teams negotiating deals can franchise tag a player while negotiating to keep them off the open market or threaten to trade them if terms aren't reached. However, they have no leverage over Dak because, according to ESPN, he has a no trade and no franchise tag clause in his contract. Which makes a difficult situation even harder.

Will This Season's Outcome Determine The Cowboys Future?

Dak has shown flashes of greatness during his time in Dallas. He was runner up for the MVP last season and led the league with 36 touchdown passes. Which is fantastic. And, the Cowboys have been the model of consistency. They've had a winning record in 8 out of the last 10 seasons. They've won 12 games the past 3 seasons. So, there's lots of potential there...they just need to find a way to get over the hump.

Which is why I think this season is going to be critical for both sides. Dak & the Cowboys are both trying to win a Super Bowl. They've both experienced success in the regular season. However, once the playoff starts, neither the team or the player have been at their best. And, as Einstein said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.

So, this season could be the breaking point. If they don't make a deep playoff run this season, it may be the end of the line. Dak wants to win, the Cowboys want to win...but if they can't do it together, it may be best for both to go their separate ways.

It's an awesome story that the kid that grew up in Haughton, just a few hours away from Dallas, gets to be close to home and all that. It's a great story. But, at the end of the day, the NFL is a business. And despite regular season success, the ultimate pay day is winning a Super Bowl. The Cowboys haven't won the NFC or a Super Bowl since 1995 and, from Dak's perspective, he's not getting any younger. He's closer to the end than the beginning.

It's close to win or make sweeping changes time for both parties. This season will more than likely determine the immediate and long term plan for both the Cowboys and Dak Prescott.