Emmitt Smith suggests Dak Prescott should take less money from Cowboys. Do you agree?
Everybody these days has an opinion on quarterback Dak Prescott and the status of his contract negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys.
My fellow ushers at the church.
My mom and dad.
The fellows at the barber shop.
Everybody.
So it stands to reason that Hall of Fame running Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith would be asked about Prescott and the Cowboys when he made a recent appearance on The Adam Lefkoe Show.
Smith advocated for Prescott to take less money than market value, which is somewhere between $33-$37 million annually, so the Cowboys can use that money to sign other players like receiver Amari Cooper.
“Dak has to understand and maybe take another perspective,” Smith said. “The perspective may not be all the money you get, but how much of the money you’re willing to leave on the table, because the Cowboys are a marketable organization. If you’re the face of the franchise, instead of taking $35 [million], would you take $28 [million], and leave some for Amari [Cooper] and pick up the [difference] through endorsements.”
The Cowboys have done a good job of selling the notion that a full market deal for Prescott would jeopardize their ability to sign other players and continue to build a team around him.
Smith’s view is shared by a lot of Cowboys fans.
What’s also true is that it’s not Prescott’s job to manage the Cowboys’ budget and the team gave lucrative market deals to running back Ezekiel Elliott (six years, $90 million) and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (five years, $105 million) in the last year.
So why should Prescott take less than his perceived worth?
It’s certainly an interesting point of view from Smith given that he missed two games in 1993 during a contract dispute before owner Jerry Jones caved. He signed a four-year, $13.6-million deal, which made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
Smith says he signed for less than what he wanted, but he still got a top-of-the-market deal.
Smith believes Prescott can earn enough money off the field in endorsements to more than make up for what he gives up on his contract.
Do you agree with Smith?
Or should Prescott maximize his value?
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
