Getty Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas Cowboys fans can expect wild rumors relating to Dak Prescott throughout the offseason as the NFL quarterback carousel begins to spin. After the Cowboys’ disappointing loss to the 49ers, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and frequent co-host Cousin Sal discussed whether Dallas would consider trading Prescott for Aaron Rodgers.
“Then I wrote down [this is a] legacy game for Dak Prescott thing, and then the next thing I wrote was is Dak for Rodgers crazy?” Simmons explained during a January 23, 2023 episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast.” “Would you trade for Aaron Rodgers? … You wouldn’t want three years of Rodgers?”
The question comes amid ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s report that there is a “real possibility” the Packers will trade Rodgers this offseason. The challenge for the Cowboys is Green Bay will look to trade Rodgers outside of the NFC, per Schefter.
“This will be the third straight offseason in which Aaron Rodgers’ future is the subject of much speculation, but make no mistake, both sides are fully aware that a trade is a very real scenario this offseason for Aaron Rodgers,” Schefter explained during a January 21 edition of “NFL Countdown.” “The Packers are expected to move on from certain players, which Aaron Rodgers probably will not like. The issue here will be the $110 million left on his contract and which team could afford it. But there is a real possibility that at some point this offseason Aaron Rodgers is going to be traded.”
It is important to keep in mind that Prescott has a no-trade clause, so even if Dallas made the unlikely decision to move on from the quarterback the star would control his next destination. This would severely limit the Cowboys ability to create a bidding war for the veteran signal-caller.
Dak’s $160 Million Contract Makes His Trade Value Low
Diehard Cowboys fan Cousin Sal later shot down the notion that Dallas has an interest in the wild blockbuster trade, but Green Bay would also likely pass on the quarterback swap. The main reason for the Packers considering a Rodgers trade is to gain additional salary cap flexibility while turning the offense over to Jordan Love.
Prescott’s four-year, $160 million contract would give the Packers (along with most other teams) cause for serious pause about acquiring the former Pro Bowler. The Cowboys QB1 still has two seasons remaining on his current deal and is slated to have a $31 million base salary in 2023.
After decades of torment from Rodgers, there are plenty of Cowboys fans that would love the quarterback to be wearing a star on his helmet. Yet, Rodgers’ $150 million contract also poses its own set of challenges. Rodgers’ deal expires in 2026 when the quarterback will be 43 years old by the time his contract ends.
Could the Cowboys Draft a QB in 2023?
During a January 23 episode of “Cowboys Break,” former Dallas scout Bryan Broaddus suggested that the team stands a better chance of changing the circumstances around Prescott than moving on from the star quarterback. Dallas has a potential out in Prescott’s contract in 2024, but the Cowboys would have to take a massive $39.9 million dead cap hit, per Spotrac.
As Broaddus pointed out, Dallas’ best hope is to change the offensive coaching staff with the potential the moves lead to improvement for Prescott. The quarterback is just one season removed from throwing for 4,449 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 68.8% of his passes. The biggest area of improvement for Prescott is to avoid turnovers in critical situations.
While the Cowboys cannot reasonably move on from Prescott, the team could look to select a quarterback in the upcoming draft. At the very least, a rookie quarterback could be a potential replacement for Cooper Rush who is a free agent. The prospect could also serve as an inexpensive developmental option as insurance if the Cowboys decide not to sign Prescott to an extension.
“I do think you get to a point now where Dallas with those third, fourth, fifth-round picks, you may want draft a quarterback,” Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd noted during a January 22 postgame reaction show on The Volume. “[With] Tom Brady, every other year Belichick drafted a quarterback. If I was Minnesota [with] Kirk Cousins, if I was Dallas with Dak. You get to about the third, fourth round, I’d roll the dice on quarterbacks. If for no other reason you’d have a young, cheap, very capable backup.