Getty Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott
Perhaps it is because the NFL offseason has slowed as we twiddle our way through June and July in anticipation of the opening of training camp. Perhaps it is because Trevor Lawrence has agreed to a new contract with the Jaguars. But it does seem that, lately, chatter around the Cowboys’ situation with Dak Prescott has been picking up lately.
And not in a way that would make you think the team is careening its way toward a deal with Prescott. No, the latest round of media musings on the Dak debacle is more focused on swallowing what many deemed an impossible notion just a few moths ago: Dak Prescott hitting free agency and leaving the Cowboys.
We can speculate where he might wind up once that happens. But in the meantime, the parlor game these days is what, exactly, might happen with the Cowboys’ quarterback spot if they do, in fact, let Prescott go?
There is Trey Lance. There is the draft. But it’s almost certain, too, that the Cowboys would look to add an established veteran if, indeed, Prescott were set free.
And one sentence of such speculation at the Cowboys site “Blogging the Boys” should serve to remind us how unappetizing Dallas’ options will be if Prescott leaves: “Russell Wilson is probably the best vet QB Dallas could target to replace Prescott, but nothing he’s accomplished in the past few years would suggest his play is on par with No. 4.”
Russell Wilson Was a ‘Disaster’ in Denver
Most anyone in and around the NFL is well-versed in the Russell Wilson situation. He finagled his way out of Seattle, with the Broncos sending a king’s ransom to the Seahawks for the right to employ Wilson and pay him $242 million. Within two years, and through two coaches, the Broncos were fed up with the Wilson experience and cut him, despite having to eat a record $85 million worth of dead money.
The Ringer summed up Wilson’s Denver tenure in a headline: “The Broncos’ Russell Wilson Era Was a Disaster. What Comes Next for Both Team and QB?”
But, if Lance and a draftee do not work out in 2025, Wilson could well be the best option for Dallas.
As BtB wrote: “Going with a veteran to replace Prescott is probably the most unlikely and least desired option for the Cowboys. Going this route would mean the Trey Lance trade/experiment failed and for whatever reason they didn’t come away with their future QB1 in the 2025 NFL Draft either. This would be a tough pill to swallow for a variety of reasons, but there could be a stopgap player available via free agency to keep them competitive.”
Cowboys Options After Dak Prescott Might Not Be so Bad
Again, all this is contingent upon Prescott and the Cowboys not agreeing on a new contract, and there has been no sign that progress has been made. But that can change quickly.
And, while the first blush of Wilson-as-a-Cowboy sounds deflating, remember that Wilson actually was not terrible in 2023—he threw for 3,070 yards in 15 games, with a 66.4% completion rate and 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions, all with a so-so offense around him and a coach who did little to hide his disdain for Wilson.
Wilson had a PFF grade of 77.5, which is not great but ranked 15th among QBs with at least 12 starts. The Broncos were 7-8 under Wilson, despite a defens that ranked 31st by PFF’s metrics.
All hope would not be lost, then. Keep in mind, too, that Wilson will have played a year in Pittsburgh by 2025, and he’ll either have shown he is a salvageable quarterback in the NFL or not worth the hassle.
There will be other options, too, whose value could go up in the coming months: Sam Darnold, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields.
It’s scary to picture a Cowboys future at quarterback in a post-Dak world. But if it happens, it might not be quite as rough as we may initially imagine.