The Dallas Cowboys failed to reach the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Injuries were the team’s biggest Achilles heel in 2020 which caused big contributors such as Tyron Smith, La’el Collins, Sean Lee, and Leighton Vander Esch to all miss significant time. The biggest loss, however, came in Week 5 against the New York Giants when quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury and effectively derailed any plans for a successful season.
The offseason focus for the Cowboys is getting the long-awaited contract done with Prescott. Owner Jerry Jones made an appearance on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday and acknowledged his franchise quarterback has all tons of leverage once contract talks resume.
“I don’t know how you could have any more leverage,” Jones said. … His evolving into an NFL quarterback has been nothing short of a perfect picture. He has great ability, in my mind, to win games. He’s talented. He certainly has the experiences and he has all the things, which has been substantiated by what we’ve offered Dak. You wouldn’t offer Dak what we offered in the past if you’d not thought he was very special. The issue is, how do you come together? And that’s no stranger to me. I’ve been doing it all my life, putting things together. We’ve got to get it together.”
The Cowboys tried at the last minute back in July to secure Prescott long-term with an offer that was around $35 million per year with over $110 million in guaranteed money and a $50 million dollar signing bonus. However, dollars weren’t the biggest hold up to get the deal done, it was the length of the contract. The organization wanted a five-year commitment while Prescott wanted a four-year marriage with the opportunity to cash in again once the new television revenue kicks in.
America’s Team, like all NFL clubs, will be working with a condensed salary cap in 2021 due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The two-time Pro Bowl selection played on a franchise tag this season that paid him $31.4 million, and that number will go to $37.7 million if a second tag is applied this offseason.
The impact of the loss of Prescott this season was evident.
Even with a 3-1 record to close out the year, the Cowboys were a dismal 4-7 in his absence. After averaging 32.6 points per game with Prescott the Cowboy’s offense dwindled to 21.1 points per game with Andy Dalton, Garrett Gilbert, and Ben DiNucci under center.
The organization and Prescott have never wavered on wanting to get a deal done. Jones sighted flexibility as a key factor going forward.
“We have a certain amount, period, that can be paid to players every year,” Jones said. “It’s a very competitive thing, and the longer the term, the more flexibility you’ve got in any numbers that you have in a contract. The planning ahead, the looking at what you can spend, what you can give on any other free agents, that’s your overall planning.”
The Cowboys had extremely high hopes and were expected to win a weak NFC East in 2020. If that’s to be the case next season, getting Prescott inked long-term has to be the top priority.
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