What occurs if Cowboys do not lengthen Dak Prescott’s contract?

FRISCO, Texas — As we wait and marvel when or if the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott will come to an settlement on an extension in 2024, let’s play out what some would name the worst-case situation: The quarterback does not re-sign between now and January and is about to develop into an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

However first, listed here are a few methods they might get to that time:

The Cowboys make the playoffs for the fourth straight yr, hoping to get to a Tremendous Bowl for the primary time since 1995.

As a way to get there, Prescott may have had one other high season, like he did in 2023 when he led the NFL in landing passes with 36 and threw for 4,516 yards. Given the present state of the roster, it would seemingly be Prescott’s best season as a result of the Cowboys have to exchange beginning left deal with Tyron Smith, heart Tyler Biadasz, tailback Tony Pollard and large receiver Michael Gallup.

Or …

The Cowboys miss the playoffs, however Prescott has what has develop into his common season: 25 landing passes and 9 interceptions. He performs properly sufficient to warrant a brand new deal, however there are too many holes on the roster to get again to the postseason.

What occurs subsequent?

It can develop into a mad sprint from the top of the common season to March 12, the beginning of the 2025 league yr, for the Cowboys to signal Prescott to a brand new contract.

Via all of this, that’s the deadline of deadlines.

And not using a new contract by then, Prescott will rely at the least $40.46 million towards the 2025 wage cap, and he is not going to be on the Cowboys’ roster.

With a contract achieved earlier than then, Prescott’s cap quantity shall be at the least $25 million because of the restructures the Cowboys have used on the present deal, together with changing his $5 million roster bonus earlier this month. Add within the yearly proration of a brand new signing bonus plus his base wage, and it is seemingly Prescott’s cap quantity on an extension will exceed $40 million in 2025.

In January, we introduced three choices the Cowboys had with Prescott’s contract in 2024: do nothing, add voidable years to his deal or signal him to an enormous contract extension.

Seems, they’ve achieved somewhat of the second possibility thus far and never a lot of the third. They added voidable years to his contract, by 2028, after changing his roster bonus, however have achieved nothing else.

They might nonetheless restructure his deal by changing his $29 million base wage right into a bonus and open up $18 million or so in cap room. They have not achieved that but, and with big-money free company over, it would make extra sense to simply hold the contract as is. In the event that they do restructure the bottom wage, then Prescott would rely near $58 million towards the 2025 cap if he does not have an extension earlier than the beginning of the following league yr.

After not too long ago changing his roster bonus, Prescott counts $55.45 million towards the 2024 wage cap as a substitute of $59.45 million.

Based mostly on all the pieces proprietor Jerry Jones and government vice chairman Stephen Jones have mentioned this offseason, the Cowboys weren’t going to be gamers in free company even when that they had compelling wage cap room to make additions. It isn’t what they wish to do, though this yr’s free company plan has been even slower than lately, with the Cowboys including solely linebacker Eric Kendricks at this level.

Prescott has the leverage with a no-trade clause and the staff’s incapability to make use of the franchise tag on him in 2025.

The Cowboys can hope for a team-friendly deal, however they have been hoping to get one achieved in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and by no means did. Prescott and his agent, Todd France, performed the negotiations completely with the quarterback maximizing his 2021 deal (4 years, $160 million) whereas having the ability to name the pictures once more when it expires after the 2024 season.

The Cowboys are taking a chance if they’re unable to get a contract extension achieved with Prescott by the beginning of the 2025 league yr.

What number of accessible quarterbacks are going to be higher than Prescott? Possible none.

But when Prescott doesn’t get them to the Tremendous Bowl after 9 years as their beginning quarterback, it might be truthful for the Cowboys to ask if he’ll ever do it for them.

And what number of groups shall be available in the market for a quarterback in 2025, particularly given the groups that can choose a quarterback early within the upcoming draft?

Nearly all of those groups have contingencies on what occurs in 2024: Pittsburgh Steelers (if Russell Wilson and/or Justin Fields do not work out), Tennessee Titans (if Will Levis does not work out), Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams (if Matthew Stafford retires), Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants (if they do not draft a QB within the first spherical) and Denver Broncos (see the Giants).

What number of of them will be capable to meet Prescott’s contractual calls for? Definitely not all of them. What number of of them could be a most popular vacation spot for Prescott? Definitely not all of them.

If Prescott will get the Cowboys to a Tremendous Bowl, then the Joneses will gladly pay him no matter he desires.

It is a sport of threat. And for the following 11 months we get to see all of it play out.