Dallas Cowboys: What Dak Prescott’s new contract may look like

The Dallas Cowboys have a tricky situation on their hands coming up. That, of course, is the new contract they must line up for Dak Prescott.

As things stand, it’s likely he’ll command a big payday. He’s coming off the second time in three years he’s led the Cowboys to the playoffs and also reached his second Pro Bowl, throwing for over 3,800 yards and 22 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. Owner Jerry Jones has made it clear that contract will be taken care of. It’s a matter of when. Not if.

The tricky part is going to be the money. Is Prescott worthy of being one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL? There is a strong debate from both sides of the fence on that one. Many believe his passing success is greatly aided by the presence of a dominant rushing attack led by Ezekiel Elliott. Not to mention a rebuilt defense giving him extra chances.

Then there are those who cite his timely playmaking instinct and unquestioned leadership. One thing is for sure. He’s going to get a massive raise. It’s a matter of how much. Bill Barnwell of ESPN cast his projection for what the deal will look like.

"“What his new deal could look like: Six years, $168 million with $60 million guaranteed at signingThe Cowboys build their team around a stars-and-scrubs approach and construct their cap around paying those guys on long, oft-restructured deals. It’s a great approach when those players stay healthy and productive, but if something goes wrong, Dallas is left to pick up the pieces with lots of dead cap.”"

Demarcus Lawrence contract will make paying Prescott and others a challenge

While the Cowboys organization is the richest in the NFL (by far), they are still tied to the salary cap like everybody else. They’re about to pay their star pass rusher, Demarcus Lawrence, $105 million in new money, which isn’t going to make their cap issues any easier. Prescott isn’t the only one who will demand a raise soon. Elliott is along the same path as him. There’s a popular saying in the NFL these days. You can’t pay everybody.

If Prescott does get that sort of contract projected, it’s going to make life a lot tougher on the organization in terms of keeping the roster strong enough to compete. Strong drafting will be a necessity more than ever. They’ve had a lot of success with that in recent years, which is a good sign but such things can dry up quickly if one isn’t careful. Either way, if Prescott continues with similar play as last year? He’ll get his money.