Alex Smith trade from Kansas City Chiefs to Washington Redskins affected Dallas Cowboys in few ways. From football perspective they will now face Smith two times a year, a quarterback renowned for his steady play and ability to bring his team into the playoffs. Some people believe that he is a downgrade on Kirk Cousins, but that remains to be seen in the upcoming years. So, Redskins have decided not to franchise Cousins once again, and he will hit the free agency.
The one player from Dallas franchise who will be most affected by this is Dak Prescott. Why? Well, the Smith trade sent Cousins to the free market. Alex commanded a four year $94 million contract. $70 million is guaranteed money. Kirk Cousins as a free agent will get even more from any quarterback-needy team in the NFL. As far Prescott is concerned all of this is good for business, his business.
Prescott’s rookie contract is a four-year $2.7 million with a $383,393 signing bonus. In 2018 he will make $630,000. When you see this on paper, it is evident that Dak is NFL’s biggest bargain. But, he won’t remain one for too long. When the time comes for his renewal, the price for a franchise quarterback will only go up. Players such as Smith and Cousins are just pushing the lower border of the price for a quality QB.
The biggest QB contract in the league is the one Matthew Stafford signed with Detroit Lions. A five-year $135 million contract with $50 million signing bonus and $92 million guaranteed. Kirk Cousins on an open market will command more than that. According to analysts Cousins is aiming at a five-year $150 million deal with $100 million guaranteed.
His contract will only create a rise of other franchise quarterbacks value. Matt Ryan is entering the final year of his contract. Next in line is Aaron Rodgers. You can only imagine what Packers are going to give him. These two players might get an extension before Cousins hits the market because Kirk’s deal has the potential to inflate the market further. If he’s worth $150 million, the Rodgers could ask for $200 million.
Because franchise quarterbacks are a valuable asset to every team, Prescott only has one thing to do. In the next two years, this guy needs to prove himself. Dak needs to show the world, the Cowboys nation, and most of all to Jerry Jones that he’s an elite QB prospect, and future of America’s Team. If he succeeds in doing that, the money on the table for him will eclipse what Smith got, and Cousins is going to get.
