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FRISCO, Texas — Now that Dak Prescott has signed one other mega-contract to be the Dallas Cowboys‘ beginning quarterback, nonetheless a few years he has left shall be about legacy.
He has his cash. Earlier than signing the most-recent deal, he cashed in additional than $160 million, with slightly greater than $4 million on his rookie deal (2016-19), $31.4 million on the franchise tag in 2020 and $126 million from 2021 to 2023. And he can earn $240 million on his newest deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
However to ensure that Prescott to maneuver from an excellent statistical quarterback to the most effective in Cowboys historical past, he has to do one thing he has not carried out but: get to a Tremendous Bowl. Possibly even win it.
It isn’t fully honest, however these are the requirements in Dallas set by Corridor of Famers Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.
Prescott has carried out nearly the whole lot else in his first eight years because the beginning quarterback. He has set the workforce file for landing passes in a season (37). By the tip of subsequent season, he ought to surpass Tony Romo (34,183) because the franchise chief in passing yards. He’s 45 landing passes shy of Romo’s file (247). He has gained the NFC East 4 occasions. He has been to the Professional Bowl. In 2023, he had his greatest season and was named All-Professional and completed second in MVP voting. He was named the winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Yr award.
However he has not gotten previous the second spherical of the playoffs, and the stench from the wild-card loss to the Green Bay Packers in January nonetheless hangs over the whole group.
To do what he isn’t carried out but, Prescott might be requested to do extra with much less — partially, due to his contract, though the Cowboys had been capable of signal CeeDee Lamb to a four-year contract extension on Aug. 26.
Groups with high-priced quarterbacks — like Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Kansas Metropolis’s Patrick Mahomes, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert — have needed to make enterprise choices at different positions.
The Cowboys initially requested Prescott to do extra with much less in 2018 with out a true No. 1 receiver, and when that didn’t work out, they traded for vast receiver Amari Cooper, giving up a first-round decide to the Raiders.
Getting into his ninth season, Prescott is a distinct quarterback than he was when getting into his third. He understands the sport extra. He understands his sport extra. He understands defenses extra.
In 2024, he’ll should be higher than he has been, because the Cowboys transfer to a running-back-by-committee method and the could begin two rookies on the offensive line. He must be higher whereas facing a schedule that options seven video games versus 2023 playoff groups within the first 11 weeks.
After this season, the Cowboys may look fully completely different.
This might be the ultimate years of franchise stalwarts guard Zack Martin, a future Corridor of Famer, and defensive finish DeMarcus Lawrence. In the event that they each depart after this season, Prescott would be the longest-tenured Cowboy, since fellow 2016 draft decide Ezekiel Elliott took a one-year hiatus from Dallas in 2023 for a stint with the New England Patriots.
This offseason, the Cowboys stated goodbye to left deal with Tyron Smith, a future Corridor of Famer, heart Tyler Biadasz, operating again Tony Pollard and defensive finish Dorance Armstrong, amongst others, as Dallas prepped for offers with Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. The one notable additions had been bringing again Elliott and linebacker Eric Kendricks in free company, as Jerry Jones’ definition of ‘all-in’ appeared to be completely different than what many others thought.
However Jones is little doubt all-in on Prescott now, even when it took some negotiating time to get there.
If Prescott, getting into his ninth season, performs out the deal, he would be the longest-tenured beginning quarterback in franchise historical past. Aikman was the Cowboys’ starter for 12 seasons, Romo began for 9 and Staubach for eight.
Since 1980, the one quarterback to attend longer to go to a Tremendous Bowl for the primary time with the membership that drafted him was Ken Anderson, who was in his tenth season as Cincinnati’s full-time starter. Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning went to their first Tremendous Bowls with Atlanta and Indianapolis, respectively, of their ninth seasons because the full-time starters.
That is the problem Prescott faces in defining his legacy on the sector.
