Despite Cowboys QB’s Heartfelt Loyalty, Dak Prescott Told to Adopt Kirk Cousins’ Playbook and Ditch ‘Meddling’ Jerry Jones

In the NFL’s biggest circus, the Cowboys‘ saga surrounding Dak Prescott‘s contract has become a long-running melodrama. Despite Jerry Jones publicly affirming Prescott as his franchise QB, the negotiations have hit a stalemate. As the clock ticks, whispers grow louder – should the quarterback take a page from Kirk Cousins‘ playbook and bet on himself?

From the sharpshooters of Nightcap Live to football’s talking heads, all eyes are on Prescott’s next move. Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson takes hits like a truck stick – the QB has the leverage to maximize his value on the open market, just like Cousins capitalized in Washington.

Dak Prescott’s career crossroads – bleed blue or chase green?

In the unfiltered banter of Nightcap Live, Chad Johnson didn’t mince words – Dak holds “all the leverage” to potentially pull a “Kirk Cousins” and hit the open market. Johnson bluntly advised, “If I was Dak, I would play this last year out and hit the market. He got all the leverage too.”

Cousins’ power move with Washington laid the blueprint – betting on himself by playing under the franchise tag before cashing in with the Vikings’ fully guaranteed $84 million deal in 2018, resetting the market. His extensions in 2020 and 2023 netted him $101 million more in guarantees from Minnesota before his current $180 million, 4-year pact with Atlanta.

Prescott’s own words the Cowboys’ OTAs on Wednesday seem to reject such mercenary logic. “I don’t play for money. Never have, never cared for it…I would give it up just to play this game.” As the stalemate drags on, Prescott’s prime years tick away, testing his fabled bond with America’s Team.

Beneath the financial tug-of-war lies a deeper undercurrent – Prescott’s belief that his worth transcends dollar signs. “I’ll leave that to the business people…a leader of my [caliber].” His self-assurance hints at a franchise QB’s gravitas, the ineffable qualities demanded to pilot a storied NFL franchise.

Yet Jerry Jones’ indecision has hamstrung Dallas, creating a vicious cycle that undermines Prescott’s leverage. With a measly $2 million in cap space, the Cowboys cannot afford to bolster the QB’s supporting cast, jeopardizing his chances for playoff glory – the holy grail he covets above all else. For Prescott, chasing “dollah dollah bills y’all” could mean leaving the Cowboys’ chaos behind. As Johnson candidly put it, “Somewhere else, we don’t have to deal with that [circus]…it would do Dak good.”

Jerry’s dilemma – pay Dak or rebuild around the triplets 2.0?

Jerry’s penny-pinching has backed the Cowboys into a corner. This vicious cycle undermines the QB’s leverage as Robert Griffin III warns, “If you don’t show your quarterback that you love him, you’re not going to get the best out of your team.”

As Colin Cowherd bluntly puts it, “Jerry Jones is petrified of being irrelevant.” The Cowboys owner’s indecision on locking down his franchise QB has left America’s Team dangerously skirting that fate. With Dak Prescott’s “leverage” growing, the stage is set for a high-stakes “game of chicken” that could redefine Dallas’ legacy.

On one side, Prescott’s remarkable 2022 campaign – leading the NFL in TD passes while guiding Dallas to another NFC East crown – warrants a historic payday mirroring Jared Goff’s $212 million deal with $170 million guaranteed. As one agent bluntly assessed, “They’re in the same spot Detroit was with Goff…Dallas is just watching the prices go up.”

The unpalatable alternative? A future rebuild around cornerstones Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb – a new-age “Triplets” trio completing Dallas’ pivot to the next era. Though painful, It could grant Dallas flexibility to retool under a new regime after Prescott’s potential free agency departure.

Adding intrigue is Trey Lance‘s “increased confidence” in claiming the QB2 role behind Dak. The former #3 overall pick showed flashes in limited San Fran action before being outdueled by Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. If unleashed in Big D, could Lance be Prescott’s heir apparent?