Has Dak Absence Proven His Cowboys Value?

Has Dak Prescott’s Absence Proven to the Dallas Cowboys Just How Valuable He Is?

FRISCO - Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Does it also make an injured quarterback richer?

The main storyline surrounding the Dallas Cowboys heading into the 2020 NFL season was the contract negotiations with their star quarterback, Dak Prescott.

Prescott, a fourth-round draft pick back in 2016, was playing on a very cheap rookie contract and was looking to cash in on his impressive play. He did so in a sense, with his $31 million franchise tag deal for 2020.

Over the past two years, the Cowboys and Prescott had unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate a long term extension. The obvious discrepancy between the two sides' views ultimately led to the Cowboys franchise-tagging their starting quarterback for the 2020 season. ... And all could've been well.

Prescott once again had to prove to owner Jerry Jones that he was worth the big bucks, long-term ... But the process abruptly stopped when Dak suffered a gruesome ankle injury against the Giants in Week 5. 

This injury ultimately sidelined him for the remainder of the 2020 season. ... leaving the Cowboys to enjoy his presence as they did on Friday, when he hobbled out to the practice field at The Star aboard a crutch.

READ MORE: Dak: 'I Know My Team Needs Me' 

Said pal Ezekiel Elliott: “It’s good every day to see him. He’s always in great spirits. ... He’s feeling good.”

The two-time Pro Bowler Prescott has been, by most measures, an elite quarterback in today’s NFL. In the 2016 NFL Draft, Prescott was the eighth quarterback to come off the board and yet has outplayed every single one of the earlier picks statistically, throwing for the most passing yards and winning the most games. 

This is all while the top two picks in the draft, Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, have signed lucrative extensions. (And have exhibited some ... well, imperfections.)

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In Dak's absence, the Cowboys have had very poor QB play from the backups, leading Dallas to a lousy 1-5 record in the last six games. (Next up: A Tuesday trip to Baltimore, where the Cowboys are again an underdog.)

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Andy Dalton, Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert have been pedestrian at best, leading us to a theory:

Their performances, and the Cowboys' general lack of buoyancy without their undisputed leader, have proven and solidified Dak’s value and significance to the Dallas Cowboys.

Entering the 2021 NFL season, the Cowboys will once again be faced with the decision to extend Dak or not. Another tag is worth $38 million. A longer-term APY seems likely worth $40 million.

Prescott recently said, "I know my team needs me.''

He didn't mean this in a snarky way, or in a bragging way. It's just a statement of fact.

Which means, ultimately, his team needs to pay him, too.