If Prescott does indeed leave the Cowboys, would he become the biggest free agent to hit the market ever? He would most certainly be the biggest since Reggie White left the Philadelphia Eagles and joined the Green Bay Packers in 1993 when free agency was in its infancy.
White was the biggest defensive star in the NFL and was already a six-time All-Pro before making the move to the Packers. His string of All-Pros continued in the six years he spent in Wisconsin, culminating in his second Defensive Player of the Year award.
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He appeared in 13 consecutive Pro Bowls and his arrival in Green Bay made an immediate impact on the defense. From 1993-98, the Packers had a Top 10 defense, including three times in the Top 5 and once No. 1.
White’s impact was felt through the entire team and this move is considered by some as the best free agent signing in the history of the NFL.
Prescott through his first eight seasons has won the Offensive Rookie of the Year, been to the Pro Bowl three times and finished second in MVP voting a year ago.
For his career, he has completed 67 percent of his passes and has thrown 202 touchdowns to 74 interceptions. His leadership is undeniable. Prescott has led by exampled since his rookie season, and continues to do so today, even in the midst of what could be his final year in Dallas.
Without question, Prescott would be the highest paid free agent in history with an estimated salary north of $60 million APY. White signed a four-year, $17 million deal in 1993. If you extrapolate that for the rise in salary cap and the percentage of the cap that he signed for then, it would be about $24.4 million APY today.
Of course, we can’t really make a fair comparison because we don’t know if Dak is leaving Dallas. If he does, we don’t know where he’s going or the impact he will have for that team.
The Minister of Defense finished his career with 198 sacks, good for second on the all-time list, just two behind Bruce Smith. White averaged 13 sacks per season over 15 years.
Prescott is averaging 3,682 yards and 25 touchdowns per season to just nine interceptions. His impact on the Dallas Cowboys has been undeniable. He has a 73-41 record as a starter for the regular season, but what he is most commonly criticized for is his playoff record.
Dak has led the Cowboys to the playoff five times in his eight seasons. He is, however, only 2-5 in the postseason.
Prescott hasn’t said much about his contract, but he holds all the power. If he’s ready to move on to greener pastures, he can. If he wants to say in Dallas, he can, provided Jerry Jones and the Cowboys pony up the cash.
If he hits the open market in March, it will be an absolute feeding frenzy for quarterback needy teams. Will it be a bigger signing than White? That will all depend on what he does with the team he plays for next.
