2023 NFL free agency: Daniel Jones now makes the same amount of money per year as Dak Prescott

The price for quarterbacks in the NFL always goes up.

Tuesday served as the NFL’s deadline for players across the league to receive the franchise tag from their teams. The Dallas Cowboys got ahead of things by placing the tag on running back Tony Pollard on Monday. Dallas was the second team within the division to utilize the franchise tag this offseason as the Washington Commanders were actually the first team in the league to do it with Daron Payne. The New York Giants seemed destined to join the club themselves but the question was always going to be who they were going to tag; either quarterback Daniel Jones or running back Saquon Barkley.

We now know that it was Barkley who was tagged. Just before Tuesday’s deadline, New York and Jones reached a long-term agreement.

Daniel Jones now makes the same amount of money per year as Dak Prescott

It goes without saying that Daniel Jones had a lot of leverage in that he helped the Giants reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016 this past season, and that he performed well in their first playoff win since the 2011 season that ended with them winning the Super Bowl. It was a similar run (without the title obviously) to Joe Flacco in 2012 with the Baltimore Ravens.

It is a seller’s market if you are a quarterback in the NFL. There are fewer quarterbacks who are able to be successful than there are teams who need them and the laws of supply and demand are well-known.

This bore itself out in the details of Jones’ contract. It is a four-year deal worth $160M.

The New York Giants and Daniel Jones have reached a long-term contract that will prevent the Giants from having to use the franchise tag to keep the quarterback off the free agent market.

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post was first with the news. The deal was announced with just minutes to spare before the 4 p.m. ET franchise tag deadline.

Ian Rapoport is reporting that the contract will be “a 4-year deal worth $160M, sources say, with $35M more in upside.”

In case those numbers sound familiar to you it is because they are the exact same as Dak Prescott’s from two years ago. Daniel Jones is now making $40M per year in the exact same way that Dak Prescott is.

This was always the argument when it came to paying Dak. When you pay one quarterback in the NFL others come along and (usually) make more money which winds up making your deal look all the more friendly. Again, the laws of supply and demand.

To be fair to this whole idea, it is likely that Prescott’s financial standing within the Cowboys changes this offseason by way of an extension. For what it’s worth, Dak happened to speak on Tuesday at an event and noted that, like Stephen Jones, he could also see an extension happening this offseason.

Remember this Daniel Jones contract if and when the Cowboys do extend Dak Prescott. There are always more quarterback contracts coming that will change perception. While Jones just got his deal, there is still the Lamar Jackson situation floating in the ether (he was given the non-exclusive franchise tag by the Baltimore Ravens). Plus this offseason could see new deals for the likes of Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, and/or Justin Herbert.

Supply and demand.