Dak Prescott Eyes Future With Cowboys, Leaves Door Open to Leave for New NFL Team

The biggest question at the start of training camp for the Dallas Cowboys is the status of Dak Prescott, and the quarterback who is entering the final season of his contract discussed his situation Thursday.

"I want to be here," he told reporters while pointing out that "all the other great quarterbacks played for other teams."

Prescott also said that he is "free" in thinking about playing elsewhere even though he prefers to remain with the only NFL team he has ever known.

The quarterback may be the biggest long-term question mark for the Cowboys, but he is far from the only one.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and head coach Mike McCarthy are each entering the final year of their contracts as well. What's more, star pass-rusher Micah Parsons is signed through the 2025 season and will likely also command a significant deal.

For his part, team owner Jerry Jones told reporters he doesn't believe the 2024 season will be Prescott's last with Dallas.

"Just to be very specific: I do not think this will be his last year with the Cowboys, at all," Jones said. "Am I being psychotic [sic] relative to my mirror? No. No. It's pretty clear, I think. I want to say if it hasn't been clear—of how much we appreciate what Dak Prescott has meant to this team in a positive way. The players do play better when he's out there. He does make his teammates play at a higher level. There's no question about it. So I'm right there in line with his best fan."

The three-time Pro Bowler looked like a quarterback who deserved a new deal last season while leading the league with 36 touchdown passes. He completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 4,516 yards, those 36 touchdowns and just nine picks.

Lowering his interception total was key after he led the NFL with 15 picks despite missing five games during the 2022 season.

Still, the postseason success hasn't come.

Prescott is just 2-5 as a starter in the playoffs, and last season's home loss to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round was rather shocking. Green Bay had a 48-16 lead in the fourth quarter before the Cowboys scored two touchdowns when the game was already in hand.

The Mississippi State product threw two interceptions in that game, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

At this point, the Cowboys haven't committed to him beyond this season as he's telling reporters he doesn't "fear" signing elsewhere if needed. Perhaps a deal will get done, but it doesn't seem imminent even with Jones' comments.