Dak Prescott is a good NFL quarterback, that is hard to deny whether you believe he is in the upper tier of quarterbacks or more in the middle of the league,1856 yards and nine touchdowns in just five starts was an impressive start to a season cut short by injury against the NY Giants.
That being said, paying a quarterback when you are not sure if he is a guy that can lead you to a Super Bowl is always a risk. The Cowboys were put in a corner, while he may be a bit overpaid, it would have been difficult to find a guy to replace him that is just as good if not better. With Jerry Jones wanting to win a championship as soon as possible, there is no time for a full-fledged rebuild in Dallas.
No matter how well Prescott plays, this is a good scenario for the Giants for the duration of his contract. Year one sees his cap hit at $22.2 million which is not a major hit, but the years after it rises to alarming numbers. 2022 sees his hit going to $33.2 million, followed by $44.2 million and $47.2 million cap hits in 2023 and 2024.
Patrick Mahomes signed the largest contract in NFL history earlier last year, but his cap hit in 2023 only amounts to $34.4 million. This is due to how long the money is spread out, but it goes to show just how much Prescott is being paid over this deal.
With Dallas having a majority of their cap already going to guys like Amari Cooper, Demarcus Lawrence, Zack Martin, and now Prescott, they are going to struggle to sign free-agents going forward.
So what does this mean for the Giants? They get the opportunity to score a lot of points against a Cowboys defense that lacks the talent it needs to execute. Prescott was the final piece to lock up to keep that stacked offense, but the defense will remain an issue.
This defensive decline is seen especially after letting stud corner Byron Jones walk this past offseason. Dallas could have been better off retaining him and potentially drafting Florida quarterback Kyle Trask in the draft, but he is not as good as Prescott.
This was the corner the Cowboys were put in, and it helps a developing NY Giants offense especially with Barkley. He should feast on a porous defense whose only hope is drafting well every year to build that defense now.
With the need to go at least 4-2 or 5-1 in the division to win the NFC East crown, having the opportunity to run the ball, control the clock, and wear down this defense puts the Gmen in a great position to win.
The Giants also have a young but strong defense that will be equipped to handle the juggernaut that is the Dallas offense. They will not be an easy win, but as improving the roster getting harder each year, this helps the Giants immensely.
Had they not resigned Prescott, Dallas would be stuck with Andy Dalton or a rookie quarterback potentially, but they also would have a much better defense. Whether either choice helps the Cowboys get closer to winning a Super Bowl does not matter as much as the matchup against the NY Giants.
What is important is that Big Blue can sweep Dallas in the division as often as possible, when 7-9 can win this division, being able to pick up even one division win becomes much more important. And from what we have seen from the Giants in the past, all they need is a chance in the postseason and then anything is possible.
With the cap hit for Prescott increasing in 2022 and 2023, the NY Giants look at those years as when this young defense will hit a real stride and peak. The roster for Dallas will not be as great in those years, and that stretch becomes a perfect opportunity for New York to take the NFC East.