Why Dallas should sign Dak Prescott to new deal soon

After the first three weeks of the season, it looked like the Cowboys would run away with the division as the Eagles, their only other threat in the NFC East, struggled to find their legs. Now a second straight loss and flat performance have Dallas and Dak Prescott twisting in the wind.  

Were it not for an exceedingly difficult six-week stretch of schedule upcoming for Philadelphia (3--2), the Cowboys (3-2) would absolutely go into panic mode. The bad news for Dallas is that it has a rough patch of its own late in the season, making it imperative for the Cowboys to create distance from the Eagles over the next few weeks.

It's also imperative for the Cowboys to put the finishing touches on a long-term contract extension for Prescott, supposed slump be damned. In the 34-24 loss to Green Bay on Sunday, Prescott threw for 463 yards, most of them in the second half, and three picks. Coming off a 12-10 loss to New Orleans, the Cowboys trailed the Packers 17-0 at halftime.

From the middle of 2018 through Week 3, the Cowboys had been riding a wave of success. To bolster a struggling pass attack last October, Dallas traded a first-round pick to Oakland for wide receiver Amari Cooper. At the time, some ridiculed the move because it seemed like the act of a team that figured it was just one piece from a title run, instead of a franchise that was under .500 and contemplating whether or not to commit long term to a middle-of-the-pack starting quarterback. The Cowboys at that point were ranked 29th in the NFL with 183 passing yards per game.

The Cooper deal, a great success for Dallas, was made to bolster the weapons of a quarterback who presumably the Cowboys believe in. Otherwise they wouldn’t have sacrificed a pick that might have secured a QB of the future. Dallas shows every sign that it wants to retain Dak, except for the one thing that would actually keep him around.

An impressive playoff run last season should have settled this matter. But a deal never happened in the off-season, though the team did give a big contract to Ezekiel Elliott following a preseason holdout. 

There are reports that Prescott wants $40 million per season, and that he turned down an offer from the Cowboys during the summer that would have paid him $30 million per year. The Eagles may have exacerbated matters themselves by giving Carson Wentz an extension that averages $32 million a season. Whether Prescott is ultimately better or worse than Wentz is not a settled debate and may not be for some time. He has, however, done enough in his short career compared to Wentz’s to argue for more money now. 

Until a contract is done, it’s going to be a weekly referendum on Prescott's ability. Obviously his stock is down a little the past two weeks because he has thrown four interceptions in two losses. Roll off a few victories and that can change in a hurry, such is the low-attention span sports media economy. 

In fact, the Cowboys can do a lot to help their 2019 fortunes and settle this matter over the next two weeks, in a presumptive win at the Jets and in Week 7 at home against Philadelphia. That game against the Eagles is Dallas’ last before the bye. If the Cowboys win and Dak plays well, it would be a good opportunity for the team to secure him during the week off. That way Dallas could focus entirely on the stretch run without the incessant media pressure about Dak’s contract and impending free agency if an extension isn’t reached.

The Eagles' brutal six-game stretch begins Sunday at Minnesota, followed by games at the Cowboys and Bills and home games against the Bears, Patriots and Seahawks. Philadelphia could lose each of those games and no one would be shocked. The same can be said of Dallas' difficult stretch beginning in Week 11, when it plays at Detroit, at New England, vs. Buffalo, at Chicago, vs. the Rams and at Philly.

The Redskins have waved the white flag and the Giants, interesting rookie quarterback aside, don’t have enough to contend. So it's fitting division contenders Eagles and Cowboys have similar, season-defining stretches. 

Dallas could make life considerably easier on itself for that run if it secures Prescott. If the Cowboys still don’t believe enough in him, they had a curious way of showing it by trading a first-round pick for a receiver to make his life easier.