Does Dak Prescott Want Out? The End Begins for Dallas Cowboys QB

Does Dak Prescott Want Out? The End Begins for Dallas Cowboys QB

Nov 13, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and quarterback Dak Prescott / Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

FRISCO - You may recall a few weeks ago when Dak Prescott said of a contract extension, "It will happen.

You may also recall our response via the Fish Report on YouTube, when we suggested otherwise, saying and writing that the Dallas Cowboys quarterback may "want out.'' (Click here for that.)

Yes, the long-planned contract extension intended on smoothing out the bloated $59.4 million cap hit in 2024 while also making the QB a "Cowboy for Life'' is not happening. Oh, they smoothed it out a little.

But positive talk aside, there has been no positive progress. And that lead us to wonder if Jerry Jones' front office and Prescott and agent Todd France each have their own ideas here ... that in way means they might actually agree on something?

That wonder: What if Dallas is reluctant to give Prescott the monster contract of say, $60 million per year because it is maybe considering a "Blow It Up!'' rebuilding year in 2025 ...

Nov 13, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and quarterback Dak Prescott / Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

While at the same time, Dak is reluctant to take any less and is therefore also eying 2025 as a start-over opportunity?

In other words, what if the Cowboys are aware of Dak possibly going free this year and are fine with it ... while Prescott is happy to "bet on himself'' in a way that might pay him even more on the open market a year from now?

And now here we are. That's exactly what is happening. Jerry Jones has said it out loud: Both parties are "locked in'' to the now. And that means no plans for a Dak deal in 2024 ... which makes him a free agent in the spring of 2025. ... where the Cowboys - and any other team - can decide about paying him that $60 million APY. Or $70 million APY. Or not.

"I'm definitely confident,'' Dak once said about a cooperative extension. "It helps the team, and it's important for the numbers … It's a process, and both sides understand that. Everything is great. It’ll happen.”

That, as it happens, was a more optimistic answer from Prescott than the one that Jerry offered while at the NFL Scouting Combine. ... which we knew then was meant as a hint.

"We don't need to, but we can if everybody wants to solve it," Jones said about extending Prescott. "You can get in and get on the same page and see if you can come to an agreement. If you can't, what we have in place works."

In this theorized scenario, it "works'' only in limited ways. Leave Dak's cap hit alone and 2024 roster-building is hamstrung and the locker room might be in lame-duck ruins ... but 2025 benefits. But now? The 2025 "benefit'' might be without a QB.

The Cowboys are managing Dak in their own business-like manner. Prescott has the right to do the same. After a 2023 season where Prescott finished as the runner-up for the league's MVP award while throwing for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns, and nine interceptions? Do that again while playing out his final year in and he might become the highest-paid free agent of all-time.

And the Cowboys will start all anew in 2025.

That wasn't the original plan for either side. But it is the plan now. "All In'' is all about the now, and all about doing it on the cheap. And Dak is all about betting on himself ... and maybe getting the hell out of here.