Sports Time Radio

Dak Prescott is represented by Todd France in his negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys. Yesterday there where reports that France has said their would be no new contract between the Cowboys and Prescott by next Wednesday and Prescott would be signing his franchise tender. Once Prescott officially signs that franchise tag contract he’ll make $31.4 million dollars next season.

There where some reports that Prescott and the Cowboys might be close to a deal, but that the contract was for too many years according to Prescott. Now you’d think if both sides had seem to have agreed on a dollar figure you think it wouldn’t of been to difficult to get the years worked out, but apparently they where unable to do so.

Now if you remember as Prescott was headed into free agency he said that he expected to be paid between $30 and $40 million dollars per season and while the franchise tag gets him into that salary area it is on the lower end of Prescott’s original number. There where some reports that France had approached the Cowboys with a deal that was around $34 million dollars a season, but it was never mentioned how long that deal would’ve been for.

Since the Cowboys used the “exclusive” franchise tag on Prescott he’s paid the average salary of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL as of April 2020. Otherwise the Cowboys could’ve paid Prescott 120 percent of his salary from last season. Prescott receives whatever number is greater for his salary.

To be fair Prescott has been a steal for the Cowboys while on his rookie contract, but that’s no fault of the Cowboys like some people have implied. Remember Prescott was a 4th round pick in the 2016 draft and he was paid according to his draft slot. Prescot clearly outplayed his contract, but there was a reason Prescott was selected in the 4th round when he was coming out of college.

Prescott had solid number in college at Mississippi State, but he was spectacular by any means. In his Senior season he threw for 3793 yards with 29 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In passing yards Prescott ranked 15th. He was also 15th in touchdowns as for interceptions there where only a handful of college quarterbacks that threw fewer than Prescott did.

Prescott didn’t receive a Heisman Trophy vote in his Senior year. Interestingly running back Derrick Henry of Alabama won the Heisman and is now in the same place as Prescott. Henry is currently a free agent and was franchised tagged by the Tennessee Titans after leading the NFL in rushing yards last season.

There where five other quarterbacks that received Heisman Trophy votes when Prescott was a Senior. Deshaun Watson finished 3rd in the voting, Baler Mayfield finished 4th, Keenan Reynolds finished 5th, Connor Cook finished 9th and Trevone Boykin finished 10th in the Heisman voting.

In the voting for the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner Prescott’s future teammate Ezekiel Elliott finished 8th in the voting.

In the end the decision the Cowboys have to make before they sign Prescott to a long term deal is: Is he a franchise quarterback?

Prescott had his best statistical season in 2019. He threw for 4902 yards and 30 touchdowns which where both career highs. Unfortunately there was some bad with that good as the Cowboys had their worst record 8-8 with Prescott as their starting quarterback and they missed the playoffs.

Prescott also has the ability to run the football if needed. Last season he ran the least number of times in his four year career 52; he averaged 5.3 yards per carry and scored 3 rushing touchdowns. Prescott had run for 6 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons with Dallas.

Running less signals that Prescott is becoming more comfortable throwing the football and staying in the pocket and while his interception total did jump to 11 last season he had an interception percentage of 1.8%. There where 13 other starting quarterbacks that threw more interceptions than Prescott did last season.

Prescott has started all 64 games at quarterback for Dallas since they drafted him in 2016 and he has a record of 40-24.

We all know that in the NFL a quarterback gets way too much credit when his team wins and way too much blame when his team loses, but you know there are going to be people pointing out that Dallas hasn’t won a Super Bowl with Prescott as their starting quarterback, but he has taken the team to two playoff appearances in his four seasons. I’m sure there are a lot of teams out their that would like to go to the playoffs with what could be a franchise quarterback that often.

Prescott is always going to be compared to Jared Goff and Carson Wentz who went #1 and #2 in that 2016 draft, but Goff and Wentz where expected to be starting quarterbacks right out of the draft while no one was sure about Prescott.

Goff has been successful as the Los Angeles Rams starting quarterback and while he’s taken them to the playoffs the last two season with one of those playoff runs ending in a Super Bowl loss, but his numbers where down last season and there have been some questions that have come up about Goff’s ability to be a starting NFL quarterback.

Since the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Wentz they’ve been to the playoffs in the last three seasons and won the Super Bowl in 2017. The Eagles have played 6 playoffs games since drafting Wentz and have a 4-2 record, but Wentz has played in just one of those games and in that game only threw 4 passes before being injured.

Goff and Wentz have both been signed long term by their teams. Goff is signed through 2024 and has an average salary of $33.5 million dollars a season. Wentz is also signed through 2024 and has an average salary of $32 million dollars a season.

This is where it gets interesting. Do you feel that Prescott is a better NFL quarterback than Goff and Wentz? Or is he similar to them? Depending on where you sit on that might be how you feel about how much Prescott should be paid.

Prescott and the Cowboys have a little less than 7 hours to come to an agreement on a contract. Do you think they’ll work something out? If so; how much do you think Prescott will be paid? Please leave your answers in the comments.

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