Ian Rapoport Dropped a Mini Bombshell About Dak Prescott Contract Negotiations
With all the trade buzz surrounding Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson, plus the actual trades of Carson Wentz, Jared Goff and Matt Stafford, it's been easy to overlook what might be the biggest story of the 2021 NFL offseason: Dak Prescott's contract situation with the Cowboys.
Prescott's situation was the biggest story of last offseason and a repeat was projected this year, but it has been pushed to the back burner amidst the quarterback drama unfolding across the NFL.
But just when you thought you had heard it all, Ian Rapoport dropped a little nugget about Prescott likely getting a contract close to $40 million per year, throwing a wrinkle into the whole situation.
During an appearance on the NFL Network today, Rap slid that piece of news into a segment where he also revealed the Cowboys want to get a deal done with Prescott ASAP. The second part has been said countless times before, including last year when the Cowboys eventually hit Prescott with the franchise tag. But Prescott getting something close to $40 million yearly is new and would make him the second or third highest-paid player in the NFL.
From NFL Now: The best news for #Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is that the team is so confident in his rehab that they want to do a long-term deal with him now. Remains to be seen whether it'll happen. pic.twitter.com/4kFjrnVDnU
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 23, 2021
Right now, Patrick Mahomes is the only player in the NFL whose contract averages over $40 million per year, with his 10-year, $450 million contract averaging $45 million yearly. Watson averages $39 million per year and we actually wrote that Prescott should get something similar after the Texans quarterback signed his extension last year. Now it appears that's reality.
The Cowboys reportedly offered Prescott $30 million a year over five years last offseason. He declined and wanted something closer to $40 million annually. They couldn't strike a deal, which led to the Cowboys placing the franchise tag on him ahead of the 2020 season. The two sides could have potentially found a middle ground last year but, according to Adam Schefter, now Prescott has all the leverage. The Cowboys will likely have to pony up to keep him in Dallas.