Emmitt Smith recently suggested Dak Prescott should take less money to give the Cowboys more salary cap room to sign other players. Smith’s former teammate, Darren Woodson, strongly disagrees with the Hall of Famer’s take.
“It’s a slap in the face for people to say he should take less,” Woodson said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “That is a slap in that man’s face. They are not out here. I am watching every day. My office oversees the practice field, and there ain’t nobody on that team that works harder than Dak Prescott. He is putting the work in. The man deserves it. That is commitment.”
Woodson’s commercial real estate office overlooks the Cowboys’ practice field in Frisco.
Prescott is PFT’s top-rated free agent, though chances are, he will never hit the market. The Cowboys are expected to franchise the quarterback if they can’t get him signed to a long-term deal.
And there are no signs the sides are any closer to a deal than they got before the season started when Prescott turned down a deal worth $33 million annually.
The Cowboys also have receiver Amari Cooper, cornerback Byron Jones, defensive tackle Malik Collins and Randall Cobb among players scheduled to hit free agency next month.
But managing the Cowboys’ cap is not Prescott’s concern, Woodson said.
“No, hell no,” Woodson said when asked if Prescott should take less money. “This is a capitalistic society. This is America. Why does he have to take less money? We are not expecting others to take less money. We didn’t ask [Eagles quarterback] Carson Wentz to take less money. Why should Dak be the guy to take less money?”
“If he deserves $35-38 million, he should be paid $35-38 million. I think the man has earned it.”