Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Called NFL’s ‘Most Overrated QB’
The last decade has been an incredible run for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott … in the regular season and in his checking account.
That’s not going to create many legacies.
Until Prescott can find some modicum of playoff success, he’s going to continue winding up at the top of lists like the one Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay just put out ranking the NFL’s Most Overrated Quarterbacks.
In a sad, small victory, at least Prescott didn’t take the No. 1 spot. That belonged to Baltimore Ravens quarterback and 2-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, who Prescott finished as runner-up to in the 2023 NFL MVP vote. Prescott was in the No. 4 spot.
“The Dallas Cowboys have been riding with Dak Prescott as their starting quarterback for a decade now,” Kay wrote. “While he’s helped the team emerge as a playoff contender for much of that run, his stunning lack of success in the postseason has also held this proud franchise back from reaching its potential.”
The Cowboys are 3-5-1 and still firmly in the NFC Wild Card hunt headed into a Week 11 road game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football — with Prescott playing some of the best football of his career this season.
Prescott Guiding One of NFL’s Best Offenses
While the Cowboys have been atrocious on defense this season — 31st out of 32 teams in overall defense — the offense has been one of the NFL’s crown jewels.
Prescott is sixth in the NFL in passing through 9 games with 2,319 yards, 17 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, with all of the Top 3 passers yet to have their bye week — the Cowboys are coming off their bye in Week 10.
The storyline of Prescott’s career has been defined by his regular season success as much as his postseason failures — he’s 2-5 in the playoffs — but more than that it’s been defined by his incredible timing when it comes to new contracts.
Twice in his career, Prescott has become the NFL’s highest paid player of all time. In 2020, he became the NFL’s first $40 million per yer player when he signed a 4-year, $160 million contract. In 2024, he became the NFL’s first $60 million per year player when he signed a 4-year, $240 million contract.
When Prescott’s current deal runs out following the 2028 season, he’ll have approximately $436.3 million in career earnings.
Prescott Called ‘Not Most Respected’ in Locker Room
Prescott got some relief from the criticism lobbed his way almost continually throughout each offseason of his career as former Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons and owner Jerry Jones drew almost all of that fire with their ongoing, messy contract dispute.
That’s not to say some people still weren’t going out of their way to take digs at Prescott, including the No. 1 Cowboys hater in the world — ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith — when Smith questioned the level of respect Prescott garners in his own locker room.
“Do people respect the man who they know isn’t going to show up in January?” Smith asked on ESPN’s First Take on May 15. ” … I think he’s a fabulous regular season quarterback who does an outstanding job of making sure he gets paid.”
The Cowboys haven’t advanced to the NFC Championship Game since following the 1995 season — also the same year they last won the Super Bowl. It’s the longest NFC Championship Game drought out of the 16 NFC teams.
Colts' Daniel Jones gets $100 million contract update from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler
The Indianapolis Colts likely had optimism when they signed Daniel Jones this offseason.
But would they have ever expected this?
Jones is leading the NFL's best offense. The former New York Giants bust is now one of the league's trending quarterbacks.
With that comes a reality: Jones is going to get paid. It's going to be a big raise.
The Colts signed him to just a one-year deal. That limited their commitment, and it also gave Jones a chance to prove himself and secure a hefty contract. That's what Jones has done.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler expects the next deal to get into nine figures.
"Jones has a chance to become the biggest earner in the free agency class," Fowler wrote on Wednesday. "The Colts appear all-in on keeping Jones long term, and they have comps for former top-10 picks who thrived when quarterbacking a new team -- Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, who each earned three-year deals worth around $100 million. Jones would totally be justified asking for that ... with interest."
Quarterback reclamation projects certainly appear to be the narrative of the moment in the NFL.
Mayfield and Darnold have been great. Geno Smith had a good run after appearing lost for a while, too.
Jones' performance in Indy has been so good that people are wondering whether the guy he replaced, Anthony Richardson, just needs a new address to unlock his potential.
The Colts won't be as concerned about Richardson at this point, though. They traded two first-round picks to get Sauce Gardner because they believe in their present, a present led by Jones at QB, and he's going to get paid accordingly.
