The Dallas Cowboys have been uncharacteristically quiet so far this offseason, and quarterback Dark Prescott's contract may be a big reason why.
When discussing the Cowboys' relative lack of activity in free agency with Mike Sando of The Athletic, an anonymous NFL executive said:
"The quarterback contract has put the handcuffs on them. I get that piece of it. They have a talented roster already. They are going to have some big extensions coming with [wide receiver] CeeDee Lamb and others, so I can see why you might want to keep your hands in your pockets."
Prescott is entering the final year of his contract in 2024, and per Spotrac, he counts $55.455 million against the salary cap.
In addition to that, the Cowboys may want to commit significant money to him on a long-term extension at some point in the next year, so the organization has to be cognizant of making sure it can do so.
According to OverTheCap.com, the Cowboys have fairly limited cap space at just $6.7 million, and that is without making many notable additions in free agency.
Aside from re-signing running back Rico Dowdle and cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis and C.J. Goodwin, Dallas' biggest move this offseason has been signing veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks to replace the retired Leighton Vander Esch.
The Cowboys won the NFC East last season with a similar roster, but they fell to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs, and it is fair to wonder if they will be able to take the next step without any upgrades.
Of course, the Cowboys still have the draft to lean on, but it won't be easy to land many instant-impact players given that they are picking late in rounds.
While paying a quarterback big money is tough to navigate from a salary cap perspective, it is difficult to envision the Cowboys being a contender last season without Prescott.
The 30-year-old veteran enjoyed his best NFL season in 2023, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. He also finished second in the NFL MVP voting after completing 69.5 percent of his passes for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while rushing for 242 yards and two scores as well.
Prescott is a big reason why the Cowboys have a chance to win the NFC East and contend for a Super Bowl in 2024, but Dallas needs other players on the roster to step up around him, especially after being unable to bring in much new talent.
