Will Dak Prescott’s contract extension with the Cowboys get done in 2024?

It took several months, but the Dallas Cowboys did finally get a deal done with CeeDee Lamb. Lamb held out from offseason workouts and all of training camp while waiting for the contract extension to come before the start of the regular season. During that time, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones commented that there wasn’t any urgency to get the deal done. While they did wait until the last minute, just after the final preseason game and before the roster cut deadline, the holdout did present some urgency.

However, now that the deal is finally done and everybody is happy, the attention is turned to Dallas’ starting quarterback, Dak Prescott, who is entering the final year of his current contract.

Will the Cowboys give Dak Prescott an extension before the regular season?

Prescott didn’t stage a holdout, always speaking confidently about how the “money will come” and that his focus is on football. However, the Cowboys’ options with him now are either a contract extension or watching him walk in 2025.

Still, Jerry Jones is showing that same lack of urgency in signing his QB1 to a new deal. Prescott is coming off of one of his best career seasons yet, and as the Cowboys have already let their feet drag on re-signing him, he could become the first quarterback to earn $60 million a year, just based off the current market. Whether or not that’s with the Cowboys or another team has yet to be determined, but the Cowboys put themselves in the situation where that amount is what they’re up against.

Lamb, Prescott’s top target, spoke about the numbers they put up together and made it no secret that he wants his quarterback to stay in Dallas with him. But he also mentioned that it’s something Jerry wants as well.

Indeed, Jones has consistently said he wants Prescott to stay with the Cowboys for a while, and yet he does not feel the need to rush the contract negotiations. Keep in mind that Prescott is no longer able to be franchise tagged nor traded without his consent and would become a free agent if a deal is not done before the market opens in 2025.

Just 10 days remain before the start of the Cowboys’ regular season against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, September 8. It seems very unlikely that a deal with Prescott will get done before that date, and that doesn’t seem to bother Jerry one bit.

“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 the Cowboys quarterback in 2025 and beyond]. But all I’m gonna say is this: it’s not done yet.”

Sure, waiting to see how the season goes to offer an extension last minute is a possibility. It just means one of two things will happen: the Cowboys are forced to pay Prescott a record-setting amount of money, or they watch him walk away to another team in free agency. Neither option is great for Dallas, but Jerry is the owner and (against his better judgment, but don’t tell him that) general manager, and he calls the shots.