Cowboys, Who'll 'Go To War With Dak' Got 'Real, Real Close' To Rich New Contract Extension

Dallas' Front Office has Re-Defined the Word 'Imminent,' But Nevertheless, the Cowboys And QB Dak Got 'Real, Real Close' To Rich New Contract Extension ... and are Prepared to 'Go To War With' Dak On Their Side

FRISCO - We spent all season in this space explaining that a contract extension for QB Dak Prescott was simply "a phone call away.'' We stand by that now, with Dallas Cowboys COO Stephen Jones opening the NFL offseason by saying the Cowboys 'got 'real, real, real close' to agreeing to a new contract extension.

"He deserves everything that he has coming,'' Jones said of Dak, who seems poised to become the highest-paid player in franchise history. "We got real, real, real close there to start the season.''

Before the beginning of the 2019 season, the Cowboys made a proposal to Prescott that would pay him a "top-five'' QB salary - meaning over $30 million. That number may have to be closer to $40 million APY ... and the Joneses seem prepared for that.

"We've got to land the plane on his contract and get him signed up sooner rather than later,'' Stephen said.

Jones suggested that once the season started, Prescott was less interested in continuing with negotiations, saying, "He's so laser-focused on wanting to win football games and compete that he really didn't want the distraction once we didn't get it done in that first week of going back and forth with the contract.''

Stephen said a few times this week that new coach Mike McCarthy is very much a supporter of Prescott as a "top-caliber'' QB. 

And now McCarthy himself has said it.

"I think he's definitely a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback,'' the coach said. "I don't think there's any doubt there.

"That doesn't eliminate the possibility of negotiations continuing to drag to the point Dallas has to put a contractual tag on Prescott. But one thing is clear.

"He's got the 'It Factor' ... "I'll take him any time,'' Stephen said, "when you go to war against these (other teams).''

Here's hoping the Joneses, in terms of contract negotiations, don't have to "go to war'' against Dak Prescott.