Getty Tom Telsco & Antonio Pierce of the Las Vegas Raiders.
After an early playoff exit for the third straight season, the Dallas Cowboys may want to shake things up. The team decided to keep head coach Mike McCarthy but they have another big decision looming large.
Quarterback Dak Prescott is entering the final year of his contract and a potentially massive contract extension is looming over the franchise. While Prescott has played at a high level throughout his tenure with the Cowboys, he hasn’t been able to get them over the hump and there could be much cheaper options available.
If the two sides don’t get anywhere on a contract extension this offseason, a Prescott trade can’t be totally ruled out. The Las Vegas Raiders are a team in need of a quarterback. There’s enough talent on the offense to plug in a quarterback like Prescott and have a lot of success quickly. If the Raiders call up the Cowboys and offer this year’s first-round pick (No. 13) and a conditional 2025 second-round pick that turns into a first if Las Vegas makes the playoffs, it could make sense for both sides.
Quarterbacks like Prescott aren’t easy to replace but Dallas hasn’t gotten close to a Super Bowl with him at the helm. Perhaps taking a step back for a season is the only way they can take two steps forward.
Dak Prescott Is MVP Finalist
Giving up potentially two first-round picks for an aging quarterback in need of a contract could be scary to the Raiders. However, Dak Prescott is coming off arguably his best season as a pro. He threw for 36 touchdowns to just nine intercpetions in 2023 and is among the finalists to win this season’s MVP award.
The finalists for AP Most Valuable Player presented by @Invisalign! #NFLHonors
The Raiders are in a different position than the Cowboys. It would be big for the team just to become perennial playoff contenders. Prescott is good enough to put them in that position every year. He may not be the right quarterback to win a Super Bowl with but he makes the Raiders competitive for the next few years and is a huge upgrade over Aidan O’Connell or Jimmy Garoppolo.
Dak Prescott Has No-Trade Clause
There is speculation brewing about a potential Dak Prescott but it’s most likely going to lead to nothing. The problem with a potential Prescott trade is that he has a no-trade clause in his contract. Why would he willingly leave the NFL’s most popular team that is stacked with talent?
He has no reason to want to waive his clause to go to another team. He also has a clause in his contract that won’t allow him to be franchise-tagged when his contract expires. Even if the Cowboys say they have no plans to re-sign him, he could just hit free agency, choose his next team and not have to worry about them giving up premium assets.
Unless it’s a very appealing situation, Prescott isn’t going to get traded. There aren’t many rosters in the NFL better than what the Cowboys have and he may be able to make even more money on the open market if he hits free agency in 2025. For a team like the Raiders, they may also not be interested in giving up assets considering Prescott controls his future.