Dak Prescott sends another warning shot to the Cowboys: Money is out there

Time is ticking on both Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys. The two parties continue to express interest in getting a contract extension done before the start of the regular season, but Prescott isn't backing down. He's made it clear: He intends to be paid like an elite quarterback.

His recent declaration that "the money is out there" should be a warning sign for team owner Jerry Jones and his front office staff. Deals signed this offseason by Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love and Jared Goff are only driving the prices up for franchise signal-callers. Are the Cowboys poised to pay for their stall tactics?

Dak Prescott has been acting in good faith

The Cowboys might be dreaming of signing Prescott to a below-market deal, but it's hard to envision a scenario where he doesn't get paid. Inking a new contract that will pay him in excess of $50 million per season seems more and more reasonable. The impending free agency of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is only complicating negotiations. It may be difficult for Dallas to squeeze both big-money signings into their bloated salary cap sheet.

By the same token, it's still hard to see the Cowboys letting Prescott go for free. He's been the face of the franchise ever since taking over the reins of the offense. Higher-ups in Dallas will loathe the potential public relations nightmare of letting Prescott walk via free agency. Which means keeping Prescott on a long-term deal will be expensive, but there's no telling what the price might be to find a new quarterback.

Jones is not an owner/GM who is willing to take a step back and reset the roster by letting their starting quarterback leave. Prescott may not be the signal-caller to take the Cowboys back ot the Super Bowl, but he can consistently pilot them to the playoffs. He knows that reality. That's why he's subtly putting pressure on the organization with his public comments about money.