Cowboys' Stephen Jones offers big Dak Prescott contract update

Dallas Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones isn't losing sleep yet over starting quarterback Dak Prescott entering training camp in the final year of his contract.

"I know Dak, our goal is to get him done," Jones said about the situation during a recent interview on The Athletic's "Scoop City" podcast, as shared by Dianna Russini and Larry Holder of The Athletic. "And he knows that. We’re having conversations and with his agent, with Dak personally, both [Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones] and myself. He knows our goal is to keep him here. He also understands the challenges."

Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and star pass-rusher Micah Parsons could all sign extensions at any time. Like Prescott, Lamb is in the final year of his deal. Parsons, meanwhile, is under contract through 2025 but will want to ink a massive agreement next offseason, if not sooner.

Because Prescott plays the most important position in North American team sports, his short-term future routinely generates headlines. The terms of his existing contract prevent Dallas from trading him without his consent or using the franchise tag to retain his rights beyond the upcoming campaign. It's believed his camp could be asking the Cowboys for an extension worth $60M per season.

"You know what happens to teams when you do have these high-priced quarterbacks," Stephen Jones added. "At some point, it’s a challenge to keep everybody. ...You have to make some tough choices along the way. But we’re optimistic that we can do that."

Prescott finished second in MVP voting after ending the 2023 campaign ranked second in the NFL among qualified players with a 72.7 adjusted QBR, second with a 105.9 passer rating and first with 36 touchdowns through the air. However, some wonder if Jerry Jones is turned off because Prescott is responsible for a career 2-5 playoff record.

Interestingly, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is also in the final year of his contract as rumors continue to link Dallas with former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. It's unclear how Belichick would feel about Dallas letting Prescott reach free agency in March 2025, but it's worth noting the club could replace the 30-year-old with a proven commodity via a trade.