Dak Prescott Contract: Does Cowboys QB 'Deserve' More Than Eagles Jalen Hurts' $255 Million?
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts got paid on Monday - as in, "the highest-paid player-in-NFL-history''-level of paid.
And now comes the offshoot: Which QB is next? Does the next guy get more? Does the next guy "deserve'' more?
And naturally along comes the hot-button issue of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who recently saw the restructuring of his four-year $160 million extension (for cap purposes) but is in the team's plans in terms of a truly new deal?
The Cowboys have made it clear that it is only a matter of time before the 29-year-old receives a substantial deal of his own. ... leading to an assortment of debates.
Hurts' deal comes with $179.3 million it total guarantees, including the first no-trade clause in Eagles team history - making him the face of Philadelphia for at least the next half-decade.
It is the Cowboys' intention of doing the same with Prescott.
Does Dallas do it with guaranteed money?
Hurts' $179.3 million total in guarantees now officially ranks second in the NFL, trailing only Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson's monstrous five-year $230 million guaranteed.
Hurts' $51 million average over the five years?
The most in the NFL.
Does Dallas match that?
The Cowboys could pass entirely on re-upping Dak, and let him play out the next two seasons as is. But that's not a cap-friendly idea. So instead, they are banking on him accomplishing what Hurts has already done - be a Super Bowl quarterback.
Dak's side could "give the Cowboys a break'' here and not be concerned about the bar that just got set. And - just to make sure we're not just putting a microscope on "America's Team'': Lamar Jackson in Baltimore and Joe Burrow in Cincy and Justin Herbert with the Chargers could all do the same.
Therefore, going forward, let's scrutinize not only what Dallas and Dak do together, but the rest of the QB money landscape as well ... because that "setting of the bar'' is destined to keep happening over and over and over ...
And it won't be about "deserves,'' because if that was the requirement, Jalen Hurts - good as he is - wouldn't be the highest-paid player in NFL history.
It's not "deserves.'' It's a time and a place and a team and a player ... and for Prescott and the rest of the aforementioned, there will be no such thing as "overpaid'' if they win big.
You can find Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard
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