Source Re: '$45M' - Dak Hasn't Countered With 5-Year Proposal To Cowboys
FRISCO - And this is why, in our coverage of a national NFL analyst reporting that unsigned QB Dak Prescott is "asking for somewhere like north of $45 million in that fifth year'' in order to finalize the long-term deal being offered him by the Dallas Cowboys, we characterized the report as a "rumor.''
"From what I know of the situation, and I know from some people who are in the know that he's been offered five years, $175 million,'' NFL QB-turned-analyst Chris Simms told 105.3 The Fan's "K & C Masterpiece'' on Tuesday. "He wants a four-year deal. If they do agree to a five-year deal they would like a really big number at the end of that fifth year to cover their butts for what the market might be at the position five years from now. And I've heard he's asking for somewhere like north of $45 million in that fifth year.''
Parts of this are accurate - frankly, the parts that we've long-ago reported, as CowboysSI.com is the first news outlet to have broken the "five-years and $175 million'' offer from Dallas, and followed up on a Chris Mortensen ESPN suggestion that Prescott's side wants to do a four-year deal to confirm that.
But the "$45 million for the fifth year'' part? In our reporting on Simms' tagging that onto our original numbers, we attempted to look at the possibility from a variety of angles ... and there are five-year angles that work, adding up in one way as Prescott being willing to do "five years and $185 million'' - which would put the two sides just $2 million annually a part.
The problem? Simms information is bad. The rumor is false.
A source has confirmed to CowboysSI.com what USA Today's Jori Epstein was first to note: Dak's side has not counter-proposed a five-year deal, remaining firm on its desire to stick with the four-year idea.
In the end, what Simms did is simply regurgitate what you the reader of this space already knew.
THE TWO CORRECT NOTES:
*I know from some people who are in the know that he's been offered five years, $175 million.'' - Respectfully, everyone who listens to The Fan or reads this space is "in the know'' on these numbers ... because we've been reporting them for weeks.
The way we keep writing it: "Five years at $35 million APY with more than $106 guaranteed.'' Now do the math: 5 x 35 is ... Yup. That's $175 million.
*"He wants a four-year deal.'' - We've also reported that. It is accurate, the reason being the shorter-term deal allows the player a quicker second bite of the contractual apple following the 2022 end of the existing TV contract with the league, at which point the salary cap - and stars' wages - will skyrocket.
THE TWO FALSE CLAIMS:
*"If they do agree to a five-year deal they would like a really big number at the end of that fifth year to cover their butts for what the market might be at the position five years from now.''
This simply did not occur in these negotiations, we're told.
*"I've heard he's asking for somewhere like north of $45 million in that fifth year.''
This simply did not occur in these negotiations, either, we're told.?
The Cowboys want five years at $35 mil per, and Dak wants four years at an APY that is still unknown. Beyond the rumors - and our rabbit-hole chase of what the rumors meant - those are the facts.
