Jerry Jones: Part of me believes Dak Prescott is our QB for the rest of my time

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed the four-year, $240 million contract he gave to Dak Prescott. Jones and Prescott signed the contract with a handshake during Saturday’s walkthrough practice, and on Sunday, hours before kickoff of the season opener, the two teams sealed the agreements.

The Cowboys guaranteed Prescott $231 million.

“What the guaranteed money means is a big commitment for the next five years in our future, if you will,” Jones said Sunday, via Patrik Walker of the team website. “A lot of me believe Dak is our quarterback for the rest of my time. That’s not just limited to the terms of this contract. I have a lot of confidence in him. He brings so much to the table.”

Prescott has signed three contracts with the Cowboys, and if he signs a fourth, the Cowboys would be wise to do so sooner rather than later. The second contract took two years of negotiations, with Prescott betting on himself and giving himself all the advantages with no-trade and no-tag clauses in the four-year, $160 million deal.

He was set to become a free agent in March without a contract extension.

“I’m glad it got done,” Jones said. “That was the time we could just do it. We were ready to go and it was critical. I’ve seen so many things that were worth doing that weren’t done because you missed the right time. Opening day up here against Cleveland was a great time to make it happen.

“I think we all felt a little energy to get involved and get to a point where we could say yes. I knew all along what a great player Dak is and I’m happy that everyone understands that I understand (that).”

The Cowboys also signed receiver CeeDee Lamb to a four-year, $136 million deal two weeks ago. Now they must focus on signing edge rusher Micah Parsons. Parsons was eligible for a contract extension after last season.

The greatest, however, was Prescott.

The amount of Prescott’s salary was a huge commitment, but Jones certainly remembered the nine quarterbacks the Cowboys drafted between Troy Aikman and Tony Romo.

“We’re going to get this done,” Jones said, according to Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “We’re going to have players around him that will give us a chance to compete for the Super Bowl. (Prescott) was our best chance to win one. … That was the right thing to do for what we’re here to do, which is win a championship.”

Jones was criticized for waiting so long to sign Lamb and Prescott, which prevented the Cowboys from accomplishing much in free agency. But the Cowboys have always managed to sign a player they really wanted to keep, no matter the cost.

“This was the right thing for what we are here for, and that is win a championship” Jones said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “I know our fans know that. I’m surprised anyone would think that anything less — they may not agree with the decision — but anything less than commitment is just not the case with me. I gave everything I ever had or hoped to have to have a chance to be a part of the Cowboys. And where we are today is beyond my wildest dreams.”

Now Prescott, who has a postseason record of 2-5, will try to accomplish what no one has done since Aikman’s time. The Cowboys haven’t played in an NFC championship game, let alone a Super Bowl, since 1995.