Stephen Jones: Cowboys Are 'Not Nervous' to Sign Dak Prescott to Long-Term Contract

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones addressed contract negotiations with QB Dak Prescott, saying the two sides are still discussing the length of a deal.

Amid the Cowboys' disastrous 2020 season, one of the biggest questions hanging over the team is whether they will sign quarterback Dak Prescott to a long-term deal.

In an interview with 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones addressed the team's contract negotiations with Prescott, saying the two sides are still discussing the length of a deal.

"Our issues in our negotiations with Dak have been we're wanting to be more committed in terms of the term," Jones said, per the Dallas Morning News. "We're not nervous to sign Dak. I think his makeup is all the right things. He's an amazing man off the field, he's a great leader in our locker room, a great player and that's why we've wanted to sign him long term. ...When you sign a player long-term you've got more flexibility in how you work the salary cap with a player who's gonna eat up a big percentage of your cap when you're talking about a quarterback."

Prescott signed a $31.4 million franchise tag ahead of the 2020 season after rejecting a long-term extension offer last summer. Despite his season being cut short after he suffered a gruesome ankle injury in October, the Cowboys can sign him to another franchise tag for 2021 if he doesn't reach a new deal with them.

Dallas and Prescott have been discussing a possible extension for months on end. The 27-year-old has also been adamant publicly about his desire to work out an agreement with the club. If Prescott does ink a long-term extension, he will almost certainly be the highest-paid player in Cowboys history.

When asked if Dallas has considered how other quarterback's contracts have affected their teams, Jones said that has played a role in the Cowboys' negotiations.

"Well, it certainly is. That's why we’re trying to negotiate this contract. It's certainly not easy. We're looking at it. We've been out front, I think everybody's aware of the issues here of why the deal hasn't been done is more length of the term than it has been the actual amount of the contract. Certainly shows you our confidence in Dak because we want him here for the long term. Certainly, when you make a bad decision on a big contract, it can affect you."

Jones brought up Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, who was just benched for rookie Jalen Hurts. Despite Philadelphia's issues, Dallas isn't afraid to significantly invest in one player. 

"I can't speak for the Eagles. I don't know where they are with Carson Wentz and what their long-term thoughts are on Carson. When something's not working out and you have big numbers on a contract you’re committed to it can certainly affect your football team for a couple of years.

"That’s the business we're in. That's why you want to be right when you sign a player. ...And, in our opinion, you're less likely to make big mistakes if you sign your own guys. That's not a sure thing either with the injuries. ...There's a lot of moving parts to getting it right with this salary cap."