Dak Prescott, entering the final season of his contract, has an uncertain future. So, too, do CeeDee Lamb, who is holding out of mandatory minicamp as he seeks a new deal, and DeMarcus Lawrence and Zack Martin and Brandin Cooks and all of the coaching staff.
The Cowboys’ window with this group of players and coaches could close after this season.
With that in mind, Prescott was asked Wednesday about whether it has raised the sense of urgency to get it done this season.
“It’s just the urgency that you should always have, to be honest,” Prescott said, via Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. “So, maybe guys who normally wouldn’t feel it, feel it. So, I don’t mind it. I’ve been in this position before. I’m a gambling man. Will gamble on myself and my guys.”
Prescott realized he probably shouldn’t use the word “gamble,” saying, “I could get a lot of shit with that. Not that way.” But it made his point that he’s been in this position previously, and it turned out OK.
Prescott waited on his second contract for more than two years, twice getting the franchise tag before the Cowboys signed him to a four-year, $160 million deal. Prescott is entering the final year of that deal and has no-trade and no-tag clauses and a $55 million cap hit this season.
The Cowboys should have already signed him to an extension, but they haven’t, and that’s what prevented them from spending in free agency. Linebacker Eric Kendricks and running backs Royce Freeman and Ezekiel Elliott were the only outside free agents the team signed.
This Cowboys team doesn’t look as good as the one that finished last season with a loss at home in the wild-card round of the postseason.
“You don’t just win games with just talent, and you don’t win games on paper and talent is really not decided on paper,” Prescott said. “So, I understand what it looks like, what it may look like from that side understanding the lack of moves that gets done. It creates that . . . great conversation. I’m confident in the men we have, honestly.”
Few outside the locker room, though, are betting on the Cowboys to break their 28-year drought without a Super Bowl appearance.