Getty The Cowboys could look at a quarterback in the NFL draft if a deal is not reached with Dak Prescott.
The Dallas Cowboys have their franchise quarterback in Dak Prescott but his long-term future in Big D remains uncertain heading into the offseason. ESPN’s Todd Archer suggests the Cowboys could look at taking a quarterback with the No. 10 pick if the team has not reached a deal with Prescott by the time they are on the clock.
If North Dakota State’s Trey Lance or Ohio State’s Justin Fields somehow slip, the Cowboys may be hardpressed to pass up the opportunity to snag a quarterback. The decision would send a ripple effect throughout the offseason as it likely would mean Prescott’s time with the Cowboys had concluded.
“If the Cowboys don’t have Dak Prescott signed to a long-term contract by the draft, selecting a quarterback in the first round could make sense,” Archer explains. “Maybe there will be scenarios in which Justin Fields (Ohio State) drops a few slots or they truly love what Trey Lance (North Dakota State) can become as a pro QB. (Forget about Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and BYU’s Zach Wilson at No. 10, probably Fields, too, because they will be off the board by then.)”
ESPN’s Todd McShay currently has the projected top four quarterbacks all going off the board with the first four picks thanks to a few trades. With no Prescott deal reached, the Cowboys may find it harder to pass up one of these quarterbacks if they fall on draft night.
Could the Cowboys Follow the Packers’ Model & Draft a QB?
Archer cites the Packers as a potential model for the Cowboys selecting a quarterback, but Dallas finds themselves in a much different circumstance. They would not be grooming a future quarterback like Aaron Rodgers is doing with Jordan Love. Rather, the rookie would be taking over Prescott’s role as the face of the franchise.
“How does drafting a quarterback improve the Cowboys in 2021? The Green Bay Packers were criticized for taking Jordan Love at No. 26 overall last year when they had Aaron Rodgers playing at a high level and under contract,” Archer added. “The Cowboys would be creating more than a quarterback controversy by doing this. They would be telling everyone this is Prescott’s final year in Dallas.”
The Cowboys Are Reportedly ‘Not Close on a New Deal’ with Prescott
All this points back to the Cowboys’ ongoing negotiations with Prescott. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Super Bowl Sunday that Prescott and the Cowboys are “not close on a new deal.”
“The Cowboys and Dak Prescott still are not close on a new deal to keep the star quarterback in Dallas long-term, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter,” ESPN detailed. “The Cowboys and Prescott were prohibited from negotiating a new deal during the season, but the sides were allowed to resume contract talks once Dallas’ disappointing season ended. Sources told ESPN that the Cowboys still want to re-sign Prescott, who wants to remain in Dallas. But the sides still have plenty of work to do on a new deal, with a history of not being able to get it done.”
Fields Threw 41 Touchdowns at Ohio State in 2019
Fields fits the profile of what would be a No. 1 pick in most years but finds himself in the same draft class as Trevor Lawrence. The Ohio State quarterback started his career at Georgia where he played sparingly behind Jake Fromm. Fields hit the ground running after transferring to Ohio State throwing for 3,273 yards, 41 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 2019. The quarterback also added 484 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
Fields’ numbers in 2020 were more modest given the shortened Big Ten season, but the quarterback led the Buckeyes to the national championship game. He threw for 2100 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing more than 70 percent of his passes in eight appearances this season. Fields also ran for 383 yards and five touchdowns providing a glimpse of just how much of a dual-threat he potentially can be in the NFL.
Lance is much less of a known commodity given he played at North Dakota State and the team only had one game in 2020. The quarterback is a very intriguing prospect given his lethal combination of arm talent and athletic ability. Lance threw for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 66.9 percent of his passes in 2019. The Bison quarterback also rushed for a whopping 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns.
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