FRISCO, Texas – Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is recovering from a compound fracture and dislocated right ankle he suffered last October, but is already thinking about next February and Super Bowl LVI.
“That’s my plan, to do a parade in Dallas,” Prescott said the day he officially signed the richest deal in Cowboys history: four years, $ 160 million and an NFL signing bonus $ 66 million. “As a competitor, you see how people celebrate, you see how people do what you want to do and there’s not much more to light up on you than someone who has what you want. And every year we’re not in the playoffs, or we didn’t do that, that’s just more fire.
“You want me to grab my leg and not have a chance to be there while the guys do what I get out of it, I’m just excited to go out and show you what this team can do … The next big wheel of press that we have is to celebrate a year after this great parade.
Prescott’s contract has been a story since the low season of 2019, when he played the final year of his rookie contract for $ 2 million. It extended into the 2020 season, while playing with the $ 31.4 million franchise and finally culminated Monday when Prescott’s team and agent Todd France reached an agreement.
It took a while, but owner and general manager Jerry Jones was worth it.
“From the beginning, we’ve certainly said our future is with Dak,” Jones said. “We are very aware that the process we have done in recent years has created, if you will, a conversation and perhaps even a life of its own … Do not confuse this with the reason why we believe this decision is and how much there is been from the beginning. That fits. “
Prescott said he never imagined leaving for another team.
“I’m excited to be here, to never leave, and excited about what this organization will achieve, what this team will achieve and what their fans will achieve,” Prescott said. “I’m excited to go do it and just know this is my house, I’m not leaving. I’m a cowboy and that’s just the beginning.”
To fulfill his Super Bowl dreams, Prescott still has work to do in his recovery. He has been to The Star in Frisco, Texas, constantly working on his rehabilitation and said he was progressing well. Prescott said a second surgery in December was more about his ability to play long-term than anything about the injury he suffered in the Week 5 win over the New York Giants.
“I’m healthy,” Prescott said. “I’ll control what I can control. I’ll follow the doctor’s orders all the time. Put my own work ethic into it. I’m healthy, I’m getting closer. I’ll be ready when it matters.”
At the time of injury, there was a recovery period of 4 to 6 months. The Cowboys begin their official low-season program in April and Prescott plans to participate in everything. He said he will continue his low-season work with John Beck, his quarterback coach at 3DQB.
Prescott, however, acknowledged that he needs to be “smarter” in making decisions on the field, especially when he runs, like when he got hurt against the Giants.
“Before the injury, going back to high school, I was told to be smarter when I want to prove my physicality or when I want to try to make a point in the game or change the momentum. That’s no different. I have to be smarter, ”he said. “With this investment, by endangering my health at some point, it makes a lot more sense for me to be smarter and why people have said that. Then, as a bull, I think it was very difficult. Now, I want to say in a play like this, first down, you go down.
“But to say the game is on the line, it’s a first down or it’s the red zone and I’m going there, it’s who I am. I don’t know if I can ever attenuate it.”
A big part of the negotiation between the Cowboys and France was the possibility of having the goal room needed to add players around Prescott. With two years of voidable contract, Prescott will have just $ 22.2 million against this season’s salary cap and will have the capacity to restructure his contract in 2022 which could create up to $ 15 million.
On Wednesday, the Cowboys restructured the contracts of offensive liners Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and La’el Collins, creating approximately $ 17 million in cap, according to a source. This lowers their limit as they enter next week’s free agency period with the possibility of making some strategic signings, especially for a defense that would allow a record franchise of 473 points in 2020.
The Cowboys could also look to rework the bids for wide receiver Amari Cooper, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and runner Ezekiel Elliott to gain more space if they want to.
“We have the resources to do what we need to do,” said Executive Vice President Stephen Jones.
But the Cowboys believe Prescott, who is 42-27 years old as a starter and has a playoff win, will be his centerpiece.
“It’s not as simple as Dak wins, Jerry wins, the Cowboys win,” Jerry Jones said. “Let me tell you one thing: The Cowboys have won today. They have won today. And I’m excited about that future. And that’s what we’re all interested in: the future.”
At one point in Wednesday’s press conference, the Joneses were asked if they believed they had the best team in the NFC East after Prescott re-signed.
The quarterback intervened with a quick yes.
“I think this association says so, right? That ensures their faith in me and, as I said, as a boy who lives by faith, just knowing that you have a family, you have an organization that wants to be at the forefront, go do it, that’s all, ”Prescott said. “Because I want to give them everything they want, everything they’ve invested. If I show it, if I put it all in, it’ll happen in the back. I’m excited to be at the forefront of that, and we’ll all celebrate when it’s worth it.” .