Cowboys, Prescott agree to reported 4-year, $160M deal
The wait is finally over for Dak Prescott.
The Dallas Cowboys agreed to terms on a new contract with the star quarterback Monday, the team announced.
The pact is a four-year, $160-million deal that includes a record $126 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. It reportedly also features a no-trade and no-tag clause.
The deal can be worth up to $164 million, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2021
The deal includes $66 million to sign and $75 million in year one, the most in NFL history. https://t.co/bt7uBY2v7w
The deal will be structured as a six-year contract, automatically voiding after Year 4 to help Dallas spread out Prescott's cap hits, Schefter adds.
The Cowboys will still place the franchise tag on Prescott as a procedural matter, Schefter reports. Although the tag's original value is estimated to be $37.7 million, the signal-caller's salary-cap number for the 2021 season will be $22.2 million, freeing up $15.5 million in salary-cap space for Dallas.
Prescott's new $40-million average annual salary ranks second in NFL history, behind only Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ($45 million).
Top 5 QB contracts in average $$$ per year, per OverTheCap:
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoSNY) March 9, 2021
1. Patrick Mahomes -- $45M
2. Dak Prescott -- $40M
3. Deshaun Watson -- $39M
4. Russell Wilson -- $35M
5. Jared Goff/Aaron Rodgers -- $33.5M
Prescott and the Cowboys have been engaged in contract talks since the quarterback's rookie deal expired after the 2019 season. The two sides failed to reach an agreement on a long-term extension last offseason, forcing the 27-year-old to play on the franchise tag in 2020.
His numbers have improved since entering the NFL as a fourth-round pick in 2016. The two-time Pro Bowler racked up career highs with 4,902 passing yards and 30 touchdowns in 2019.
He was completing a career-high 68% of his pass attempts while throwing for a league-leading 371.2 yards per game in 2020 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5.
Prescott has posted a 42-27 record as a starter, but Dallas has made the postseason just twice since 2016. The Mississippi State product is 1-2 in the playoffs.