Why the Dallas Cowboys should re-sign Dak Prescott NOW

Dak Prescott’s value has never been lower making it the perfect time for the Dallas Cowboys to re-sign their “star” signal caller.

With the playoffs a statistical long-shot the Dallas Cowboys would be wise to start focusing on the future. Taking a series of calculated risks on young and promising players now, may pay major dividends down the road.

Not long ago, Dak Prescott seemed like a sure thing. 24 games into his career he not only looked like a franchise arm, but possibly one of the best to play the game. His rise brought on the fall of Tony Romo and ushered in a new era in Cowboys football. Together with Ezekiel Elliott, the stage was set for the next decade.

But the last month has seen a dramatic shift in Prescott’s play. His unshakable confidence has been unquestionably shaken. He’s a shell of his former self and the Cowboys offense has suffered as a result. In fact, the Cowboys’ passing attack rates dead last in the NFL over the last three weeks.

Yesterday I broke down the play of Dez Bryant and his fellow receivers, since many like to put the blame on them. But the numbers tell a different story and they prove the top Cowboys receivers are getting just as much separation as the top receivers in the NFL.

Related Story: Proof Dez Bryant and company are not the problem on offense

So if Dak Precott is clearly the problem, why on God’s green earth should the Dallas Cowboys want to up the ante on their investment?

Because betting big means winning big.

Based on Dak Prescott’s recent play, his stock has never been lower. If the Dallas Cowboys think they can get him back to where he was only a couple months prior, they’d be wise to lock their franchise arm up now.

Speaking of franchise arm…Dak Prescott is unequivocally the franchise arm of the Cowboys. He has done enough in his short career to basically guarantee it for the next season, or two, or three. Let’s face it, even if he flatlines his performance somewhere between last season and last month, the Cowboys are still lucky to have him. Finding an NFL quarterback is that hard. Crappy players get paid fortunes because options are absent.

If the name “Sam Bradford” came to mind you’re in good company. 

So before anyone flinches at the idea of extending a player on a questionable trajectory, you need to understand there is no way Dallas is letting him walk in free agency in three seasons. Even if he stinks between now and then, the Cowboys will feel the need to retain him until a better option surfaces.

And if the name “Cooper Rush” just popped into your head, stop it!

The point is, Dak has done enough that, given the climate of the NFL and utter lack of decent QB play, there is no way he’s going anywhere else in the foreseeable future. Dallas will eventually reinvest and the commitment will inevitably be made.

Because of this, the idea of proactively offering an extension now shouldn’t seem like a crazy commitment. And it may actually shorten the total commitment in the long run.

Dollars and Sense

Every year the cost of quarterbacking a team rises. According to Sportac, the top 10 QBs in the NFL make between $21,850,000 (Ben Rothlisberger) and $27,000,000 (Matthew Stafford) annually. It seems every year the newest franchise arm breaks the record. If Dak bounces back to the man he was his first 24 games, he’ll no doubt blow all of these out of the water. To think he’ll command $30 million per season isn’t crazy at all.

But if the Cowboys re-signed him right now, and start paying him big dollars before his rookie contract expires, they could cut that annual number in half. How about a $75 million deal for the next five seasons ($15M average with 60% total amount guaranteed)?

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Risk/Reward

Sure, there’s risk. Dak may never break out of the slump and Dallas would be on the hook paying the paying a low-level QB, mid-level money for the next five seasons.

But the reward is there as well.

The Cowboys could get a top-tier QB at only $15 million per season. That type of savings could afford an extra Pro Bowl player on the roster.

Dak would like a deal like this because he would increase his yearly salary by about 14 times what he’s scheduled to make the next two seasons. He would get guaranteed financial stability and a huge weight off his back as he tries to rediscover the confidence that led him to success not too long ago.

If the Dallas Cowboys offered Dak Prescott a contract that would average $15 million annually from 2018 through 2022 they’d lock in their QB position at a bargain price for the next five seasons. Dak would make $75 million on it (If he performs at least average it would justify him playing the entirety of the deal) and still be in line for a megadeal on his next contract.

The Cowboys are probably going to reinvest in him anyway so the commitment from the club doesn’t extend that much more, plus they keep a huge financial advantage over the rest of the NFL over the next five years.

Sure it would be nice to wait and see if Dak breaks out of this slump before reinvesting, but if he does break his slump his price tag goes up considerably, and the Cowboys become just like every other salary cap strapped team in the NFL.

Next: Can the Cowboys afford to keep Sean Lee in 2018?

Every investor will tell to buy when the price is low rather than high. Well, Dak Prescott’s stock has never been lower. If the Dallas front office really believes in him like they say they do (and like I do), then this slump is a perfect opportunity to set the team up for the future.