Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys had a good run in 2021. They ended the season with a 12-5 record in the regular season and won the NFC East. Although they lost to the 49ers in the Wild Card round, there were positives to be taken away as well.

The defense came together and Zeke showed signs of improvement in small bursts. Between Michah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb, and Cedric Wilson Jr, they have a young core capable of becoming a strong foundation. But at the helm of this core is a 28-year-old, Dak Prescott, who will enter his 7th season in the league. So, he has been around for a while now. 

And this off-season is different for Prescott. This time there will be no back and forth between Shannon and Skip about what his contract extension numbers will look like. Nor will we see the sports panels discuss if he is a ‘franchise quarterback’. 

So what will Dak Prescott do now? 

Well, the cowboy fans are a tough crowd to please. They expect their team to win it all. And as they say, the expectation is the thief of joy. This year as well, parts of the Cowboy-verse were not very happy with the results. It does not seem like the Cowboy fans will lower their aspirations from their beloved team.

Thus, it is upon the management and leadership to utilize this time and be prepared for a seemingly tumultuous off-season. Although, many believe that Dak has still not earned the place in the team to voice his opinion on personnel matters. The experts say he has not yet won enough meaningful games against meaningful teams. It remains to be seen how the Cowboys management handles this situation.

Read More:  Super Bowl in Numbers: Matthew Stafford’s Detroit Fans Yield Higher TV Rating Than His Own LA Rams Fans

They looked like a good team with a potentially high ceiling. And yet they have some tough decisions to make in the off-season. 

Dak Prescott offers help 

Since Dak has no contract negotiations to attend this off-season, he might help Dallas’ front office in making decisions for the future. 

While talking to Jori Epstein of USA Today, Prescott said, “I think that just depends on whether they ask me,” the 2-time Pro Bowler said. “I’m not going in and knocking on doors saying, ‘Hey, I want this done, I want that done.’ But I’m pretty sure that my opinion will be valued in certain decisions, as I hope. So with that being said, just plan on helping this team get better in every way I can.”

Dak’s Cowboys have a lot to think on 

The Cowboys face a rather peculiar off-season situation. For the last three years, they have been going into March without an extension for their star-QB. With Dak’s $160 million contract closed, that will not be an issue this year. 

Yet, they have multiple free agents on their roster. 12, to be exact. And most of these free agents are integral elements of their overall scheme. Although it will be tough to bring everyone back, they must have continuity through next year. 

Read More: Tom Brady Tweet Shows His Regret of Not Making It to Super Bowl LVI

Jerry Jones and Steven Jones have a tall task in front of them. For them, Prescott is the key to their Super Bowl chances. The culture of Dallas is such that you have to accept the high-level expectations.

As a player, you are getting perks of being a member of America’s team, which certainly has its off-the-field upside. But with those perks and stardom comes a stringent responsibility. 

And for the last 26 years, no Cowboy team has been able to deliver on the level of expectations that their fans have. Will they change their fortune this season? 

Watch This Story: NFL Twitter Has Mixed Reaction to DK Metcalf Training For the 2024 Olympics: “Not Even The Fastest Player in the NFL, Let Alone the Country”