We are well into the postseason, with the AFC and NFC Championship games in less than a day and the Super Bowl just around the corner, but mock trade/trade proposal season has already begun.
Tua Tagovailoa was traded to the Denver Broncos last week in a wild and possibly unconvincing trade; this week, the trade proposal rumors have escalated.
Dak Prescott’s future is not as assured as he may have hoped following another lackluster performance in the playoffs, this time in the loss against the 7th-seeded Green Bay Packers, who became the first team to win a playoff game in history. This is especially true now that owner Jerry Jones has thrown his support behind head coach Mike McCarthy.Is There A Chance The Dallas Cowboys Will Look For A New Quarterback For Team USA?Prescott has undoubtedly played well during the regular season, as evidenced by the Cowboys’ 12 game winning streak in 3 straight seasons and their home unbeaten streak in 2023. However, Dak’s postseason record does not exactly speak for itself.Having finished last in the single-elimination tournament with a 2-5 record and no trip to the Conference Championship game, Dallas’ ownership may begin to change their previously ardent support of Dak, who was being discussed as their quarterback for the next ten years only this year.
It does not appear 100% certain that Prescott will stay the Cowboys quarterback after his current contract expires, as he has one year left on his deal at a hefty $59 million cap hit, in addition to a $36 million dead cap in the “void” 2025 year. These things will naturally get pushed down the line if Prescott does end up signing an extension.
Therefore, it’s possible that Jerry and Stephen Jones decide that Dak is ultimately not durable enough in the playoffs and they will instead consider starting over with a young, rookie quarterback selected in this year’s draft. Alternatively, they may decide to keep Prescott for another season with McCarthy in order to give the duo one last chance.
The following is what each of the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, and Dallas Cowboys would receive in this hypothetical matchup:
Dallas Cowboys: 2025 First Round Pick (from NE), 2025 Third Round Pick (from CHI), and 9th Overall Pick in the 2024 Draft (from CHI).
Chicago Bears: Dak Prescott, the third overall pick in the 2024 draft, the 68th pick in 2024, and the fourth round selection in 2025 (all from Nebraska).
In essence, the Bears would bench their current quarterback, Justin Fields, in favor of Dak Prescott, a proven player, rather than taking a chance on a rookie quarterback.
Conversely, New England moves up to select Caleb Williams (presumably) first overall, and the Cowboys then pick Jayden Daniels, the Heisman-winning quarterback from LSU, ninth overall in this analyst’s draft.In all probability, Justin Fields will be involved in a major three-team trade involving a quarterback and the Chicago Bears. Furthermore, even though the Bears might be smitten with Prescott, they are probably discouraged by Dak’s massive 2024 salary cap hit and will be happy to use their high draft capital to select a rookie quarterback and start over.
Furthermore, who in their right mind believes Jayden Daniels will remain undrafted until the ninth overall pick? I believe at least four teams between picks 2 and 8 will be interested in moving up for him. However, if the Cowboys use their later first-round pick, 24 overall, they may have more leverage to move up for the highly regarded passer while still obtaining additional capital from New England in the draft the following year.
This is a thought experiment worth considering, even though it is unlikely in the end due to issues with Dak Prescott’s no trade clause. If McCarthy and Prescott fail to deliver after the regular season, this is one that should be considered for next season.
