Is Trading Dak Prescott Something the Cowboys Would Actually Consider?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is back in the national spotlight this offseason after Cleveland Browns reporter Bruce Dennan claimed the two teams were discussing a trade. The rumored deal would send the 2023 MVP candidate to Cleveland. While the Cowboys' front office has denied the reports, they haven’t completely silenced speculation. Could a trade still be on the table?

Why Would the Cowboys Trade Dak?

Before the Cowboys extended Dak Prescott last year with a four-year $240 million contract extension, he was gaining serious traction as a trade candidate. Dak has been a solid quarterback in his NFL career, throwing over 200 touchdown passes with a near 67% completion percentage. Unfortunately, Prescott has been plagued with injuries over his career, averaging around 12 games played per year since 2020. Another question that is often raised is his playoff record. Dak has won two playoff games in his career but has tallied five losses. Dak is 31 and still has plenty left in the tank, but if Dallas feels that they have reached a ceiling with Prescott in control of the offense, a trade wouldn’t be out of the question.

What Would a Trade Package Look Like?

For the Cowboys to trade away a bona fide top 15 quarterback who is 31 years old, they would need a convincing offer. The Browns have the second overall pick, and it is unclear if they would be willing to move off of a selection that high. But if they did, it could open the door for the Cowboys to draft a young signal-caller for the future, like Shedeur Sanders, who would be available at two. Browns starting cornerback Greg Newsome II was named a potential piece in the trade proposal by Bruce Dennan. If a trade were to take place, a potential deal could include the second overall pick, Greg Newsome II, and a late-round pick swap for Dak Prescott.

The Likelihood

The Prescott-to-the-Browns deal is financially and motivationally unlikely. The Browns are sitting at two in the draft, and unless they are uninspired by the top quarterback prospects in this draft, they have the ability to select a young player on a rookie contract to learn from a veteran in 2025. The Browns also restructured Quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract to limit his cap hit in 2025, but he is expected to have a cap hit of nearly $82 million next season, which would be his last guaranteed year under contract. Let’s say the Browns were to cut Watson; they would have to pay him the remainder of his contract over a period of time. For the Cowboys, they know they have a chance to compete with Dak Prescott, who is due $52 million in 2025 and $76 million in 2026, making a trade unlikely unless Cleveland were to send Watson as part of the trade package. However, the Cowboys would have little reason to absorb Watson’s contract, especially considering Watson is not expected to be a starter next year.