Cowboys Rumors: Dak Prescott Lands 4-Year, $240M Contract to Be Top-Paid NFL QB Ever

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVSeptember 8, 2024

Michael Owens/Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t just commit to Dak Prescott as their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future.

They reportedly made him the highest-paid player in NFL history.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the two sides agreed to a four-year, $240 million extension Sunday, which is the same day the Cowboys are scheduled to start their season against the Cleveland Browns:

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefterDak Prescott’s four-year extension includes $231 million guaranteed. https://t.co/oP1iNKZ3Qc

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefterA new leader: Highest paid QBs in the NFL on a per-year basis:

🏈Dak Prescott: $60M
🏈Joe Burrow: $55M
🏈Jordan Love: $55M
🏈Trevor Lawrence: $55M
🏈Tua Tagovailoa: $53.1M
🏈Jared Goff: $53M
🏈Justin Herbert: $52.5M
🏈Lamar Jackson: $52M
🏈Jalen Hurts: $51M

Jane Slater @SlaterNFL#Cowboys QB Dak Prescott tells me he learned of the new deal 30 minutes ago. Knew the convos were intensifying in the last 2 days but his team was handling it while he was working on game prep. Prescott obviously thrilled it’s done. The goal was to always remain a Cowboy

Prescott was previously signed through the 2024 campaign prior to this development, although the Cowboys restructured his contract ahead of the 2023 season to clear salary cap space.

Around the same time in February 2023, executive vice president Stephen Jones said Prescott could be under center for the Cowboys for the “next 10 years,” per Nick Eatman of the team’s official website.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also expressed optimism that Prescott would stay with the team ahead of the 2024 season, and Dallas indicated a willingness to spend to keep the core together with a four-year, $136 million contract for wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in August.

Still, the contract situation with the quarterback dragged on until right before the start of the season.

While it was a restructuring and not a new contract that came ahead of the 2023 campaign, Prescott’s new deal finally did arrive with this latest move. Perhaps the NFC East team didn’t envision a contract of this stature when it selected him with a fourth-round draft pick in 2016, but he wasted no time exceeding expectations.

The Mississippi State product was the 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowler in two of his first three seasons before he threw for 4,902 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his fourth.

NFL @NFLDak was throwing DARTS on Sunday 🎯 (via @nextgenstats) pic.twitter.com/1qlEAsTDZQ

While Prescott was limited to five games because of a fractured ankle in 2020, he seemed to dispel any concerns about his durability or ability to bounce back in 2021 by throwing for 4,449 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 picks.

However, his 2022 campaign was defined by inconsistency.

Prescott missed five games with injuries but still led the league with 15 interceptions. He also saw his passing yardage (2,860) and touchdowns (23) drop significantly and threw two costly picks in a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Dallas fired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in the aftermath of the loss, and there were questions about the team’s ability to compete with the best in the league. After all, the last time it advanced past the second round of the playoffs was when it won the Super Bowl during the 1995 campaign.

Prescott responded to the situation admirably in the 2023 regular season and completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 4,516 yards, a league-best 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions while making the third Pro Bowl of his career.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReportPACKERS PICK-SIX ON DAK 🤯

WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/pH8gFzlHgT

However, the questions came flying back when the Cowboys were blown out in a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Prescott threw a pick-six in the second quarter as the game slipped away, and Dallas was once again forced to watch the later rounds of the playoffs at home.

Given the new contract and the reality of the spotlight that is always on Dallas, there will be no shortage of pressure on the quarterback to eventually elevate the franchise to the next level.