Jerry Jones Doesn’t Expect To Extend Dak Prescott Before Season

Speaking to Clarence Hill, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn’t strike an optimistic tone about signing QB Dak Prescott to an extension before the start of the 2024 season. 

Jones said neither side is operating like it has urgency to close on a new deal before Week 1 and it’s not realistic to expect one to come together in the coming days. 

“We don’t need to get this done before the season,” Jones said. “We just don’t need to get it done before the season. Because it’s in all of our interest, Dak and everybody, to have a great season. And as a matter of fact, that’s probably not realistic to think before the season. But my thought sitting right here is we’ll have Dak [as Cowboys quarterback in 2025 and beyond]. But all I’m gonna say is this: it’s not done yet.”

Hill asked Jones if he shared Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb‘s confidence in Prescott eventually cashing in on a big deal in Dallas just like Lamb did this week. 

“I think I am. I am,” said Jones, who according to Hill initially stuttered when asked if he was confident in Prescott being his quarterback in 2025 on a new deal. “But I understand completely. I understand our challenge. But confident is not a word for me here. I feel that I think that we can do it. We have not figured it out yet.”

Prescott is entering the final year of his contract and he has massive leverage once again over Dallas. Prescott has a no-trade clause and because he’s been franchised twice by the Cowboys, a third would be prohibitively expensive. 

That means Prescott has a path to unrestricted free agency if he wants to take it, and it means his camp has the leverage to push Dallas for a major, market-setting extension well above the current high-water mark of $55 million per year. 

Jones pointed out to Hill he’s aware of that dynamic and it’s part of what has made negotiations so tricky, along with Dallas’ lack of playoff success the past few years. 

“I’m looking at having less supporting cast around him than he’s had any time in his career,” Jones said. “He’s going to have to make up for that and some because we haven’t gotten to the games we want to be playing in.

“And he’s going to have to do it in the future with less of a supporting cast. That’s what I’m fighting for.”

Prescott, 31, is a former fourth-round pick of the Cowboys back in 2016. He played out the final year of his four-year, $2.72 million contract and was in line to be an unrestricted free agent in 2020 when Dallas placed the franchise tag on him.

The following offseason, Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract that included $126 million guaranteed. The contract can top out at $164 million. 

He’s entering the final year of that contract and set to make a base salary of $29 million in 2024. Prescott will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025. 

In 2023, Prescott appeared in all 17 games for the Cowboys and completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He added 55 carries for 246 yards and two touchdowns.  

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2025 NFL Free Agents list.