It has been nearly a week since Dak Prescott could not come to terms on a new extension with the Dallas Cowboys. The conversation around the situation has centered on the Cowboys has shifted toward Prescott’s long-term future with the franchise as plays the 2020 campaign under a one-year deal. There are many different questions as to why things have transpired in the manner that they did. With that in mind, there is one possible scenario that could explain why the Cowboys could agree to a new contract with Prescott.

Dak Prescott’s failed contract situation

In the last few months, the focus around Dak Prescott’s contract situation with the Cowboys.

Although there hadn’t been any ongoing discussion between both sides since the franchise tag was placed on him, the anticipation was that a new contract would be hammered out by the July 15 deadline. However, that date came and went without a new extension as details poured out that there hadn’t been any talks since March.

The Cowboys reportedly made a last-minute offer to the 26-year-old that had around $110 million guaranteed and could have made him the second-highest paid quarterback in the league behind Patrick Mahomes. Prescott didn’t budge at the contract as it’s believed he wanted at least $123 million guaranteed.

In the wake of those failed discussions, there may be a reason why the Cowboys couldn’t ink the Pro Bowler to a new deal.

How Dak Prescott may have cost himself a massive deal

The fallout from the lack of a contract extension for the Dak Prescott from the Cowboys led to more digging around why things didn’t come to fruition.

Many scenarios have been tossed out as possible reasons for the situation panning out how it did. An NFL Personnel director told The Athletic that it could be due to his stats that led to the contractual stalemate.

“It’s almost like they are caught,” a personnel director said. “Dak’s stats are such that he could want to be paid like a one (Tier 1 quarterback). They realize he is not a one, and that is the disconnect. It is almost like when Seattle paid Russell Wilson. Russell then has to elevate the players around him who are not up to par, which he has been able to do. If you don’t see Dak in that way, then you are going to come into a very big issue where it is going to set your roster back.”

Prescott is coming off the best statistical season of his career as he posted career highs finishing second with 4,902 yards, fourth with 30 passing touchdowns, and fourth with a 70.2 quarterback rating. However, the Cowboys struggled to find any consistency throughout the season, contributing to the team falling short of reaching the playoffs.

The NFL personnel director’s comments speak more to the statistics being empty statistics that don’t translate to overall success. If anything, that places significant importance on Prescott’s plan in the 2020 season.

Dak Prescott has the pressure on him to earn the deal he wants

Beyond that being another possible reason for Dak Prescott not having a lucrative contract, the 2020 season is more than ever the focal point.

Prescott has to prove himself worthy of the lofty contract that he’s eyeing, which will likely come down to the team’s overall success. If things wind up transpiring similarly to last year, it’s hard to envision Jerry Jones committing to a quarterback that is more of a stat stuffer than one that can lead the team to vie for a Super Bowl.

The pressure is on Prescott to demonstrate that he can be the long-term answer that the cowboys want under center with his play.