The Dallas Cowboys have taken a risky approach when it comes to retaining their biggest stars for the future, particularly QB Dak Prescott.
Instead of inking Prescott to a new extension following one of his best NFL seasons where he was leading the MVP conversation for most of the year, Jerry Jones has opted to sit on his hands and even stated publicly the plan is to let the Cowboys franchise QB play out the final year of his current deal.
While Prescott’s postseason struggles have been well-documented, he enters 2024 as the No. 6 QB in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus and if he hits the open market following this season, there will be a minimum of five teams, likely more, lining up to make him the highest paid QB in the NFL.
Jones and the Dallas Cowboys brass is taking a major risk, and while some insiders believe the organization still plans to reach a long-term deal with Prescott, the QB now holds all the power and shouldn’t have any urgency to sign.
Prescott lead the NFL in several key categories in 2023 with 4,516 passing yards (third), 36 touchdowns (1st), nine interceptions and a QBR of 72.7 (second in the NFL).
His 89.8 passing grade in the regular season ranked second only to Tua Tagovailoa. His 73.5 passing grade under pressure was No. 1. His 37 big-time throws in the regular season were the most in the NFL, and his 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate was the lowest among quarterbacks with at least 400 dropbacks.
So now, Jerry Jones and the Dallas decision makers have a massive decision on their hands but Prescott holds all the power. Now that Trevor Lawrence just inked a deal that is paying him the same kind of money Joe Burrow is getting, Prescott’s price tag only got higher and reports have surfaced that he’s now demanding $60 million per year.
At this point, there’s a very real possibility Prescott won’t be in Dallas in 2025 and one recent trade proposal has the Cowboys sending their QB to a NFC West team in the middle of the season if the team is struggling.
Dallas Cowboys Trade Dak Prescott To Seattle Seahawks In Blockbuster Proposal
Part of Prescott’s current contract states that the Cowboys cannot franchise tag him. In other words, once he hits free agency, any team is going to be able to sign him and Dallas can only hope he chooses their offer over other suitors’. If he goes into the regular season without a new deal, it will only increase speculation that he will ditch the Cowboys in free agency.
If that is the case, and if the Dallas Cowboys are out of contention for the NFL Playoffs by the time the NFL trade deadline rolls around, one analyst predicts that the Cowboys will simply trade him, and the Seattle Seahawks have been mentioned as a possible destination
“The odds might be similar, but I view the Eagles as the clear-cut favorite in the NFC East. They have too much talent not to bounce back, while Dallas looks primed to regress.
“And if that happens, the organization could very well decide it’s time to move on from Prescott, who has been part of just two playoff wins and has thrown four interceptions in the team’s last two postseason losses.
“Quarterbacks rarely move in the middle of seasons, but most of the ingredients are there in this case. Now, if a contender were to suffer a major injury at quarterback, or if a team like Las Vegas or Seattle finds itself in contention in spite of what it has at quarterback, a deadline blockbuster involving Prescott could come to fruition.”
It doesn’t specify the compensation the Dallas Cowboys would get in return for Prescott, but if the Seahawks truly made a move for him as their new franchise QB a package involving Tyler Lockett or DK Metcalf and a future first round pick would make sense.
