#Troy Aikman thinks Cowboys need to sign Dak Prescott quickly – or else

As the contract standoff between the Cowboys and Dak Prescott continues, the last quarterback to win a Super Bowl for the franchise believes there’s only one answer.

After Prescott suffered a brutal ankle injury in Week 5, Troy Aikman said the resulting 6-10 finish only reinforced what the Cowboys need to do.

“They’re not going to get very far without a franchise quarterback,’’ Aikman told the Dallas Morning News. “They’ve got that in Dak.’’

Without Prescott, the Cowboys were forced to turn to Andy Dalton, Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert for the rest of the season.

“I think the price tag went up. I think Dak’s leverage went up after this year,” Aikman said, echoing what owner and GM Jerry Jones acknowledged in January.

The 27-year-old Prescott and the Cowboys were unable to agree on an extension before last season, leading to him playing on the $31.4 million franchise tag. Last year, the Cowboys offered Prescott a five-year deal worth an average of $34.5 million per year with $110 million guaranteed, ESPN reported. But Prescott was reportedly in favor of a four-year deal.

The two sides are still not close on a long-term deal. The Cowboys could use the franchise tag again for 2021 – raising Prescott’s salary to $37.7 million – but Aikman said that could be detrimental to his future in Dallas.

“I’d be really surprised if he’s playing under the franchise tag again this year,’’ Aikman said. “My guess is if he is, that will be the last we see of Dak Prescott.

“I just can’t imagine that he’s going to feel really good giving an open negotiation to the Cowboys if he’s played two years under the franchise tag.’’