Throughout the last several months, the attention around the Dallas Cowboys had continued to remain on Dak Prescott’s contract situation with the franchise. The Cowboys wound up using the franchise tag on their star quarterback, but it only temporarily brushes aside questions concerning his long-term future with the franchise this offseason. Many have weighed in on the discussion, which has seen his teammate DeMarcus Lawrence touching on the topic in support of Prescott.

Dak Prescott’s contract situation

The Cowboys have been shrouded by questions concerning Prescott‘s future with the team due to his lack of a long-term contract.

The two sides have expressed some keen interest in working a new extension to keep the Pro Bowler in Dallas for years to come, but a multi-year deal has yet to be hammered out. There remains separation in what the Cowboys are willing to commit yearly to Prescott and how much he wants to get paid.

It has become quite clear that the 26-year-old wants to be among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. The Cowboys had reportedly offered him a deal that would have averaged $33 million annually with $105 million guaranteed, but that didn’t see Prescott’s side budge toward taking that contract.

Instead, the Cowboys went the route of utilizing their franchise tag on him for the 2020 season, which does at least extend the window to negotiate a new deal until mid-July. Nonetheless, the conversation around a new contract remains around Prescott in Dallas.

DeMarcus Lawrence supports Dak Prescott

The linger discussion around Prescott’s contract has led many to give their two cents on the matter over the last several weeks from analysts to former Cowboys greats such as Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith.

The Cowboys Pro Bowl defensive end has now weighed in on the matter to which he has voiced that he believes the team is going to have to eventually pay Prescott, according to Clarence E. Hill Jr. of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

“I feel like Dak is a stand up guy,” Lawrence said. “He knows the situation and what to prepare for. I feel he is the ultimate leader. Understanding his character, I know Dak is going to be ready for this position. When he thrives there is nothing nobody can say. Y’all are going to have to pay him his money. “

Lawrence’s perspective is unique as he went into a similar situation as to what Prescott is about to enter. The Cowboys had placed a $17.1 million franchise tag on him for the 2017 season; then, he put forth a second straight year with double-digit sacks the next campaign.

He was franchise tagged for $20.5 million for the 2019 season but refused to ink the deal. Instead of his situation heading south, Lawrence worked out what is the biggest deal in NFL history for a defensive end on a five-year, $105 million contract with a Cowboys-record $21 million annually.

Speaking from experience, Lawrence knows how that type of situation could play out, and sees the Cowboys needing to pay Prescott to avoid that from lingering as his case did.

What’s next for Dak Prescott?

For the time being, Prescott is under the franchise tag through the 2020 season, but going this route does open the window for the two sides to discuss a long-term deal before the mid-July deadline.

If nothing transpires before that, then the Cowboys have the option of placing the franchise tag on him for a second straight year, as Kirk Cousins received from the Washington Redskins. However, things are not toxic like they were for Cousins and the Redskins near the end of that tenure.

It just gives more times for the two sides to truly hash things out to keep Prescott in Dallas for the long haul. Comments like these from Lawrence show that he is well respected in the Cowboys’ locker room while he has embraced a leadership role over the last few years.

It may just be a matter of time before Prescott has a new lucrative extension in place that puts all this chatter behind him and the franchise.