Dallas Cowboys Projected To Replace Dak Prescott With $150 Million 4-Time Pro Bowl QB

The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the strangest anomalies in the NFL since Dak Prescott took over as the starting QB in 2016.

Season after season, Prescott performs as well as the top quarterbacks in the NFL for the first 17 games, but chokes in the playoffs and the Cowboys have an early exit.

This year felt different.

Mike McCarthy took over play calling after parting ways with Kellen Moore and the offense exploded. Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb — who earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 2023 — emerged as the top QB/WR in the NFL

Dak Prescott finished the regular season as a strong MVP candidate after wrapping up one of the best campaigns of his NFL career. The Dallas Cowboys QB led the NFL in several key categories with 4,516 passing yards (third), 36 touchdowns (1st), nine interceptions and a QBR of 72.7 (second in the NFL).

Jerry Jones had the option to give Prescott a contract extension after the season which would have freed up cap space to add talent around him, but instead, the Dallas owner is choosing to let Prescott play out the final year of his current contract.

With Trevor Lawrence just getting a massive contract extension, Prescott now holds all the power and has no  incentive to rush a new deal. No matter how he plays in 2024, there will be at least five teams lining up after the season to make him one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL.

That means there’s a very real chance this will be the last season the Cowboys will have Prescott as their starting QB.

Dallas Cowboys Projected To Replace Dak Prescott With Derek Carr

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell labeled Saints QB Derek Carr as potential veteran replacement starters for Dallas to consider in 2025.

Carr still has three seasons remaining on a four-year, $150 million contract. Yet, the veteran becomes a much more appealing option if he is released rather than a player needed to be acquired via trade. And after a mediocre season in 2023, the Saints drafted South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler in April’s NFL Draft, so if Carr struggles early this season, he could be replaced by Rattler and released next offseason.

It has become increasingly unlikely for a Dallas Cowboys quarterback to avoid being a polarizing player. If some Dallas fans are frustrated by Prescott, it is hard to imagine these same supporters would be wowed by Carr.

The veteran does come with an impressive resume as a four-time Pro Bowler with four straight seasons topping 4,000 passing yards. Yet, Carr has not been able to reach this mark in either of the last two seasons. Carr threw for 3,878 yards, 25 touchdowns and 8 interceptions while completing 68.4% of his passes in 17 starts last season.

Barnwell makes the argument that Carr is a reasonable option if Prescott bolts.

“If the Saints disappoint this season, they likely would end up moving on from Carr, who only has $10 million in guarantees left on his deal after this season,” Barnwell detailed in a June 19, 2024 story titled, “Dak Prescott’s Cowboys future: New contract or test free agency?” “They would struggle to eat the $40 million in dead money from his contract if they trade him after the season, but they could designate him as a post-June 1 release to free up more than $30 million in short-term space. That could come in handy if they decide to try to sign Prescott,” Barnwell added.

“His ability to protect the football and avoid turnovers could appeal to the Dallas Cowboys if they plan on winning games with their defense, and they should be able to land Carr at about half the price of what they would pay Prescott on a new deal.”

It’s hard to see Dallas fans getting excited about this potential move, but it does make sense if Prescott does in fact leave for another team.