The Cowboys and Dak Prescott have two different angles for what they're looking for with his next contract. The Cowboys want to keep him long-term while he wants a shorter deal so he can negotiate a new contract when the new television deal gets worked out and the salary cap drastically increases.
Signing Dak to a shorter deal would be beneficial for both sides.
Dak is the kind of quarterback who needs everything to be working perfectly for him to succeed. When Ezekiel Elliott was suspended for six games in Dak's second season, he went 3-3 with all three wins coming against the bottom dwellers and the three losses against playoff teams. In those three losses, the Cowboys did not score more than nine points in a game and Dak threw five interceptions and not a single touchdown.
Later that year in a must-win game in week 16 at home against the Seahawks, he again failed to throw a touchdown but threw two interceptions as the Cowboys lost.
They then trade a first-round pick for Amari Cooper seven games into 2018 and things seemed to get better. The Cowboys also got rid of Scott Linehan and promoted Kellen Moore to offensive coordinator going into last season. It was going to be the Cowboys year, and then it wasn't. Dak did not beat a single team with a winning record all season and choked in big games on the road against the Patriots and the Eagles with the latter another must win game where Dak did not account for a touchdown.
Things have to be perfect for Dak Prescott to succeed. This year will be a telling year with all-pro center Travis Frederick retiring and the rest of the offensive line getting older.
A three-year, fully guaranteed deal, similar to what the Vikings gave Kirk Cousins would be ideal (in my opinion). Dak continues to not perform in big games and only puts up big numbers against the lesser teams. He's the best option for the Cowboys now, giving him an extra three years to see what he can do while also finding a possible replacement would be in the best interest of the team.
Even though the Cowboys and Dak Prescott's agent, Todd France, have started talking again, it's looking like the fifth year Mississippi State product will probably play under the franchise tag.
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