Attempting to again indicate his recent walking boot storyline was overblown, Dak Prescott also confirmed contract talks between he and the Cowboys have transpired this offseason. As it stands, the second-team All-Pro passer remains tied to the four-year, $160MM extension he signed in March 2021.

Prescott joins CeeDee Lamb in a contract year, but while the first-team All-Pro wide receiver has been connected to a holdout, the Cowboys are unlikely to see their first set of workouts commence without their starting quarterback. Prescott alluded (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer) to Day 1 attendance at training camp.

[RELATED: Cowboys Prepared To Make Prescott Strong Extension Offer]

It would cost Prescott approximately $50K per day to hold out, though that would seem doable for a player who has banked more than $162MM despite playing four seasons on a fourth-round rookie contract. Zack Martin succeeded with a holdout last year, seeing the Cowboys agree to guarantee the final two years of his deal, while Lamb has only seen rookie-deal money to date. Prescott still holds tremendous leverage against the Cowboys, but talks may commence from camp.

The Cowboys are believed to want the Dak matter sorted out before revving up negotiations with Lamb. Considering Prescott’s first extension took three offseasons to finalize, that could be a dicey matter for a team that may well have three market-setting extensions to complete. Micah Parsons expects to become the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB, and while the star edge rusher appears OK with playing a fourth season on his rookie deal and then inking a monster extension in 2025, the Cowboys will obviously need to factor in that payday during their Prescott and Lamb talks.

Prescott, 30, holds a no trade clause and cannot be franchise-tagged in 2025. Prescott ($55.13MM), Deshaun Watson ($63.77MM) and Daniel Jones ($47.86MM) are on track to break the single-player cap number record this season. The Cowboys can lower Dak’s number significantly with an extension, which would also prevent a $40.14MM void years bill from becoming 2025 dead money. It is difficult for a player to secure more leverage than Prescott has, which would make it surprising if he did not become the NFL’s highest-paid player on his third contract.

As for Prescott’s walking boot, the QB said he wore the boot for precautionary purposes. Post-minicamp workouts produced ankle soreness, with the former Offensive Rookie of the Year again connecting his ankle pain to the surgery he underwent in 2020. Prescott suffered an ankle fracture and dislocation in October 2020 but still managed to secure a big-ticket extension months later.

“Honestly, I’m getting older. It’s the same ankle that I snapped, and I had a nasty surgery on four years ago so a couple of hard days of training and you know, you get a little sore and you’re going on a fishing trip, and you want to protect it and make sure things don’t get worse,” Prescott said.

4:53pm: Bringing this holiday-based boot storyline to a close, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer notes Prescott indeed suffered a minor foot sprain but is no longer wearing the boot. Although Prescott still dealing with effects from his 2020 ankle break and dislocation is notable, it appears this brief storyline will wrap with fears of a serious midsummer setback put to rest.

3:02pm: Following the reports of a foot sprain, Prescott attempted to reassure Cowboys fans. The talented QB texted, “I’m great,” via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill. Prescott said the ankle he injured in 2020 swelled during his last time deep sea fishing, per Hill, and wore the boot as a precautionary measure.

The boot is, however, part of a maintenance effort Prescott has needed to conduct due to lingering effects from his 2020 ankle fracture. That injury has not impacted the former Offensive Rookie of the Year’s availability since he returned in 2021, and he said no restrictions are expected at training camp.

1:40pm: Dak Prescott scored his current contract despite coming off a season-ending ankle injury. The Cowboys quarterback’s latest contract talks will now be coming off another injury.

The ninth-year QB sustained a foot sprain that has required a walking boot, per the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. It is not known when Prescott sustained the injury, but Watkins adds it is not believed to be serious. Prescott is vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, presently, with a boot visible on his right foot. He has worn the boot for a week, per Watkins, calling into question when the injury occurred. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport classifies this as a “very minor” injury.

It would be unlikely this injury provides a serious impediment to the Cowboys extending Prescott this year. They are planning to present a strong offer, creating more distance from early-offseason reports that suggested the team may be willing to let this process reach free agency next year. Prescott is believed to reside above CeeDee Lamb in the Cowboys’ extension queue.

How and when Prescott sustained the injury will be notable, of course, as will the extent of the issue. The Cowboys break for training camp later this month, and any Prescott stay on the active/PUP list — a camp-only designation that does not impact regular-season availability — will naturally generate attention. The Cowboys last held a practice on June 5, potentially pointing to the 30-year-old passer sustaining this injury away from team headquarters. Though, that is not confirmed.

Prescott damaged his right ankle during an October 2020 game against the Giants but was still able to secure a four-year, $160MM deal that has created significant leverage for him as talks on a third contract unfold. While Prescott also missed five games due to a thumb injury in 2022, he has otherwise been durable throughout his career. Dak played all 18 Cowboys games last season, marking the sixth time in his career he has avoided missing time in a campaign due to injury, and earned second-team All-Pro acclaim for his performance.

Prescott’s bounce-back effort solidified his value, putting him — considering the leverage he holds with the franchise tag out of the equation and a steep 2025 dead money bill on tap if no extension occurs — on the radar for a deal approaching $60MM annually.

Plenty of extension candidates and recipients have come through Cowboys headquarters in recent years, as the team has strung together three straight 12-win seasons. But this profiles as a unique offseason for the oft-discussed franchise, as three cornerstone players — Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons — are each extension-eligible.

Both Prescott and Lamb are in contract years; the latter has not shown for minicamp this week. Two seasons remain on Parsons’ deal, via the fifth-year option. Prescott resides in the most interesting situation — due to the terms of his current contract.

Dallas’ QB cannot be franchise-tagged, and a no-trade clause gives the MVP runner-up security on that front as well. As of now, Prescott’s cap number ($55.13MM) trails Deshaun Watson‘s ($63.77MM). Both numbers would shatter an NFL record for a cap figure in-season.

Absent another restructure, the Browns could be ready to take some medicine on their Watson contract. The Cowboys, however, have a clear motivation to complete an extension. Although a report in the spring suggested Dallas was open to having Prescott reach free agency, pushback emerged soon after pointing to the team — as should be expected — having no desire to move to the free agency cliff with their QB. The team is “all in” on a Prescott extension, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler noted during a recent Get Up appearance.

The “all in” phrase has become a bit tiresome when connected to this Cowboys offseason, but the team has made clear it wants to do a third deal with Prescott. Thus far, however, Fowler notes the team has taken a passive approach here. The Cowboys waiting with Lamb has likely cost some money, especially considering the monster guarantees the Vikings gave Justin Jefferson. As more quarterback deals are completed, that will certainly affect Dallas-Dak talks. The sides have been in discussions since March, though it is clear these talks have not reached the serious stage.

As the offseason winds down, the Cowboys will need to operate in a more urgent fashion with their ninth-year QB. They are planning to make a strong offer at some point this summer, Fowler adds. Considering the way Prescott operated during his first negotiation, the numbers associated with these discussions remain a central 2024 NFL storyline. Prescott bounced back from a down 2022, throwing an NFL-most 36 TD passes (compared to just nine INTs) and ranking second in QBR, to boost his market. Though, it would have been strong regardless.

While the 30-year-old passer downplayed his desire for a market-setting contract, the shrewd negotiations that led to his four-year, $160MM extension in March 2021 point have the Cowboys battling uphill. The team’s inability to tag Prescott and a recent restructure inflating the void years-driven penalty to $40.1MM in 2025 dead money leave the former fourth-round pick in the driver’s seat.

How the Cowboys handle this Prescott-Lamb-Parsons situation will be one of the more interesting contract chapters in recent league history. A quarterback on a deal at or near $60MM per year and a wideout on track for a near-Jefferson-level payment would be difficult enough, but Parsons having a clear case — thanks to his accomplishments and the cap increase — to top Nick Bosa‘s defender-record contract by a notable margin creates quite the crunch for the Cowboys, whose depth will be tested should the team indeed go through with extensions for all three.

Wideout CeeDee Lamb is absent from the Cowboys’ OTAs as he seeks a new contract. Quarterback Dak Prescott is likewise a pending free agent, but he is in attendance amidst questions regarding his future in Dallas.

The 2023 MVP-runner up has no-trade and no-tag clauses, giving him considerable leverage in talks with the Cowboys. Prescott is not close to a new agreement being worked out, and owner Jerry Jones is remaining patient with respect to the top of the quarterback and receiver markets shaking out. Prescott appears to be open to reaching free agency next offseason, and his most recent comments confirm he is not focused on his contract at the moment.

“I don’t play for money. Never have never cared for it, to be honest with you,” the 30-year-old said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Would give it up just to play this game. So, I allow that to the business people to say what it’s worth, what they’re supposed to give a quarterback of my play, a person of my play, a leader of my play. For me, it’s about, as I said, control what I can control and handle that part and the rest will take care of itself.”

Four quarterbacks reached the $50MM-per-year mark last offseason on extensions representing their second NFL contracts. Veteran Jared Goff recently joined that group; his new Lions pact (the third of his career) carries an annual average value of $53MM. That contract, coupled with the continued growth of the salary cap, offers reason for Prescott to anticipate a major raise compared to the four-year, $160MM deal he signed in 2021.

Both team and player will be hoping for a smoother negotiating process this time around, but Archer confirms there have still yet to be “meaningful discussions” on a Prescott accord. The Cowboys envision the three-time Pro Bowler remaining as their signal-caller beyond 2024, and ensuring that will require the parties gaining traction later this offseason for this storyline to be resolved before the campaign starts. Dallas’ financial planning, of course, must also take into account deals for Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons, both of which will at least bring them close to the top of their respective markets.

“I think it depends on personal relationships and position and how much that pay can affect others, understanding where I am, what my pay means to a team and to an organization,” Prescott added. “I don’t really take things personal. Maybe in my first deal, maybe things were a little different than they are now. One, it’s my age and who I am, where I am in my life… The understanding that I have a lot of decision in this, too. I have a lot of say-so, too.”

The extent to which Prescott wields his leverage will be a key factor in contract talks. His remarks demonstrate an awareness of the impact his next deal will have on the Cowboys’ cap situation, and with the Goff according providing a measuring stick the parties could have starting point for serious negotiations. When those take place and the progress they provide will be worth monitoring closely.

More is coming out of the Cowboys-Dak Prescott situation. Although no offer has been made and no deal is imminent, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson supplies some information in line with the team’s recently expressed stance.

The Cowboys still want to complete an extension with Prescott this year, according to Anderson, who adds the team is not planning on letting the reigning MVP runner-up reach free agency. Some hurdles exist on the path toward a Prescott extension, but even though nothing is close presently, the Cowboys should still be considered more likely than not to aggressively pursue a third contract with their quarterback before the 2025 league year.

[RELATED: Cowboys, Dak Prescott Begin Extension Talks]

As he did during the first round of Prescott extension talks, Jerry Jones made a pitch for a team-friendly deal this week. Jones centered that short pitch on how a monster Dak re-up would affect the rest of the Cowboys’ roster, but while Patrick Mahomes has indeed sacrificed (in the form of a 10-year extension that goes through 2031), none of the QBs to agree on extensions since that July 2020 accord have followed his lead. While some upper-crust QBs did not hold out for player-friendly accords (Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford), the market is now beyond $50MM per year for high-end passers. Prescott’s age and production would have him in line for such a deal — perhaps close to $60MM per year — and he certainly has the ammo to land player-friendly terms again.

Entering the final season of a four-year, $160MM contract, Prescott cannot be franchise-tagged in 2025. A recent restructure only saved the Cowboys $4MM, still leaving Prescott with what would be a record-shattering cap number ($55.1MM). This is assuming the Browns restructure Deshaun Watson‘s deal, which calls for a $63.8MM hit this year. If Prescott leaves in free agency, the Cowboys would eat $40.1MM in dead money due to previous restructures that added void years through 2028.

Positional value also works in Prescott’s favor. Despite the Cowboys’ playoff stumbling blocks — which have been present since Super Bowl XXX — remaining during the Dak era, they employ a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback who bounced back in a big way last season. The 30-year-old QB led the NFL with 36 TD passes in 2023; he has piloted the league’s top-ranked scoring offense in two of the past three years. The Cowboys, who have Trey Lance on an expiring contract, would not have a good way to replace their oft-maligned signal-caller were he to follow Kirk Cousins‘ path as a twice-tagged player to leave in free agency.

Deadlines have been semi-effective for the Cowboys and Prescott. The team could not get its QB to agree to a deal at the July 2020 franchise tag extension deadline but was able to circle back on an extension — after three offseasons’ worth of negotiations — before a second tag could hit the team’s payroll in March 2021. March 2025 would become the next true deadline, but another big season and the threat of hitting the market would only increase Prescott’s leverage. A deal earlier — one that would allow the Cowboys more breathing room compared to this $55.1MM cap number — would be in the team’s best interests, effectively creating an earlier deadline here.

Nothing is imminent, but given the numbers in play here, the topic of a Prescott extension will remain a key offseason talking point — just as it was from 2019-21 — during this NFL offseason.

5:54pm: The Cowboys are not closing the door on a Prescott extension, per Nick Harris of the team’s website. The team would not shut down talks during the season, though it remains to be seen if Prescott would do so. Nothing is on the team’s immediate radar, and past negotiations have produced deadline failures (2020) and successes (2021). This will obviously be a central storyline in the offseason months to come.

12:47pm: The last time the Cowboys and Dak Prescott engaged in extension talks, the process covered nearly two full offseasons and dragged into mid-March of a third. Long expected to take place this year, Prescott’s second round of negotiations are not yet off the ground.

Dallas restructured its ninth-year quarterback’s contract recently, dropping his cap number from $59MM to $55.5MM. The new number would still smash an NFL record, as no player has gone into a season with a cap number higher than $45MM. An extension would be the easiest way for the Cowboys to reduce that figure now, but no deal is imminent.

The sides have reached an understanding regarding this situation, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who notes the Cowboys have not made an offer. Although extension talks began recently, the team does not appear the team is planning to submit one anytime soon.

Prescott’s contract expires after the 2024 season, and with the Cowboys not being able to use the franchise tag on their QB in 2025, free agency (and a big dead money bill) would stand to enter this equation if the former Offensive Rookie of the Year is unsigned. As of now, that prospect seems closer to reality than it once did.

The 30-year-old QB is no stranger to playing on expiring contracts. He played out his rookie deal in 2019 and played the 2020 season on the franchise tag. Despite suffering a season-ending ankle injury that year, the standout passer scored player-friendly terms from a Cowboys team that prefers longer-running extensions. Prescott signed a four-year, $160MM deal just before the Cowboys would have had to tag him a second time to prevent a 2021 free agency exit.

That deal wrapped a lengthy saga, which had begun when the QB became extension-eligible in 2019, but set the stage for another battle. As part of that 2021 extension, the Cowboys procedurally tagged Prescott; this took a 2025 tag off the table.

Jerry Jones would prefer his QB accept a team-friendlier contract this time around. This topic came up during Dallas’ previous Prescott talks, but the team eventually caved to its signal-caller’s demands. Prescott’s price steadily climbed before reaching that $40MM-AAV point. With the market now well beyond $50MM per year, Prescott has the leverage to command a deal in that neighborhood — perhaps a record-setting accord.

“As you address a player like Dak, you take away from his supporting cast,” Jones said, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill. “That’s not a sales job. Everybody realizes, if you get the bucks, someone else who can help you win doesn’t. That’s factual.”

Painting Prescott to be on the greedy side certainly could be a negotiating tactic on Jones’ part, as Patrick Mahomes‘ 10-year extension has benefited the Chiefs. But other QBs have not followed Mahomes’ lead. And the Cowboys will be battling uphill if they push this process toward the season. The Browns have not yet restructured Deshaun Watson‘s deal a second time; his fully guaranteed contract has the team set to carry a record-shattering $63.9MM cap number otherwise. If the deal is restructured, Prescott’s cap number would top the league. But the AFC North team did restructure its QB’s deal last year. Watson is also signed through 2026. Like Kirk Cousins, tagged twice in Washington, Prescott would have a clear path to free agency if no extension came about.

The Vikings are eating $28.5MM in dead cap this year; because of the recent restructure, the Cowboys would take on $40.5MM in dead money if they cannot extend Prescott before the 2025 league year. Due to his age and accomplishments, Prescott would stand to far outdo Cousins on the open market. The prospect of finding a suitable replacement also a rather notable part of this equation.

The Cowboys acquired Trey Lance via trade last year, but the ex-49ers No. 3 overall pick’s contract expires after this coming season. Again armed with a quality roster, Prescott will — barring injury — likely have Dallas in playoff contention, which would not give the team favorable draft real estate in 2025. While it would be easier to extend CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons with Prescott out of the picture, his 2025 dead money would make it more difficult to carry a top-market Lamb contract and a Parsons fifth-year option on the books next year.

While it would certainly be noteworthy if the Cowboys were serious about letting Prescott play out his contract, the leverage being skewed toward the QB make it premature to indicate Dallas is done negotiating.