Getty Dak Prescott is set to earn a lot of money in 2021.
The Dak Prescott-to-the-Chicago-Bears train left the station a little while ago, but it’s gaining some momentum this week, thanks to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. In his latest article, Fowler spoke to one NFL executive about the future of the recently injured Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and said exec revealed that while Prescott will likely remain in Dallas, there are two NFL teams who stand out as the most likely candidates to land him in 2021.
“One NFC exec prioritizes two above all others: the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears,” Fowler wrote, adding: “The exec also said Chicago is where ‘[Matt] Nagy is implementing more of the RPOs that would help Prescott,’ with Nick Foles’ 2021 cap hit of $6.66 million good value as a bridge starter while Prescott gets healthy or as a backup. Of course, Foles could cement himself as Chicago’s long-term starter with his performance this year. But that’s hardly determined yet.”
Fowler is correct — Foles has been serviceable so far, but he’s not the future at the quarterback position for the Bears. So what are the odds Prescott could be?
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Dak Prescott Injury: Timetable and Potential Return
Prescott dislocated and broke his ankle, and he had surgery to repair the nasty compound fracture immediately. He is expected to miss at least four-six months, and should be ready to go for OTAs, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News.
Still, the injury was equal parts gruesome and serious, and it came at a time Prescott was off to the best start of his career — at least statistically speaking. He was leading the league in passing yards with 1,856, also throwing nine touchdowns and four picks. Additionally, he ran for three scores and caught a touchdown pass from Cedrick Wilson before he was injured Week 5.
The Cowboys will have a major decision to make in March. If they choose to slap a $37.7 million franchise tag on Prescott, he’ll have to decide whether to sign it before he has fully recovered from his ankle injury. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is saying all the right things, and is standing by Prescott as the future of his team — but there a ton of question marks right now.
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Could This Whole Dak-to-the-Bears Thing Happen?
It’s highly unlikely, but it all depends on the market — and what both Nick Foles and Andy Dalton do over the next few months. The Bears need a franchise quarterback; few would question that. But they won’t be able to pay all the defensive superstars on their current roster (see: Khalil Mack, Eddie Jackson, Kyle Fuller, Robert Quinn and Akiem Hicks to name a few) and also secure the services of Prescott for the foreseeable future.
The likely scenario is that the Cowboys will place the franchise tag on Prescott, and odds are, he’ll sign it. But Fowler is a legitimate source, and this wasn’t some fan or analyst spouting off on Twitter — a league executive thinks the Bears are top contenders in the Dak Sweepstakes next year, and the Bears would be lax if they didn’t at least look into signing him if he’s available. If, by some miracle, Dalton balls out, things could change in Dallas, a place that is never short on drama.
The executive Fowler spoke to was correct in his assertion that Matt Nagy’s RPO-laden scheme would be an excellent fit for Prescott, who is just entering his prime. Thus, if things go awry for Prescott in Dallas, the Bears would be well served to move swiftly in trying to secure his services.
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