The Cowboys front office will be well represented at the NFL scouting combine this week. And while they’re admittedly taking a look at a few college quarterback prospects with a possible eye toward drafting one this spring, that doesn’t mean they’re ready to move on from their $40 million man.
In fact, they’re talking about extending Dak Prescott’s contract.
“We’ve got to have a plan to ultimately extend Dak,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said from Indianapolis, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Prescott’s current deal, which he signed two years ago this March, binds him to the team through 2024. He’s set to count $49.2 million against the salary cap this season, but the club could restructure his contract to create up to $22 million in cap space; an extension could create even more.
And while one reading of the situation says that’s just the usual creative bookkeeping that comes with this time of year, it also speaks to the organization’s overall belief in Prescott, despite a down 2022 season that saw him lead the league in interceptions and play one of his worst games with a trip to the NFC championship on the line.
“I’ve got all the faith in the world we can win this thing with Dak,” Jones confirmed.
“We know him. We know what he’s about. His leadership skills are undeniable. Impeccable work ethic,” Jones continued. “Other than [the fact that] he hasn’t won some key playoff games, he’s everything you want in a quarterback. From the day he walked in the door, he’s won a lot of games. We’ve just got to get over the hump.”
The Cowboys hope that a massive turnover in the offensive coaching staff and having head coach Mike McCarthy call plays moving forward will help in that effort.
“Obviously, he’s the head coach of this football team, and he made a compelling argument that making him the play-caller was going to help us,” Jones said of McCarthy. “I mean, that’s part of the coaching: be one click better. He feels good about it. He’s had a lot of success as a play-caller.”
McCarthy has hinted to Prescott that about “20 to 30 percent” of the offense will change under his expanded command.
Jones believes that will be enough to make the difference.
“I think people will notice,” he said. “We’ve been a good offensive football team. That’s the scary part. But we just hadn’t been able to make the plays when it got right down to it in the playoffs.”
The 58-year-old admits, though, it will take more than just trotting Prescott back out there with a new contract extension and all the same guys around him. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was the only Cowboy to record over 60 receptions and gain over 600 yards last season.
“Offensively, we’ve just got to maybe add a playmaker to it,” Jones said. “Add a little juice. Add a playmaker to it and see if we can do that.”
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