With the regular season inching closer, Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys remain at an impasse in contract negotiations. Each side has expressed confidence a deal will eventually happen but each day until an announcement is made, Prescott leaving in 2025 remains a possibility.
Perhaps that’s been the plan all along. Jerry and Stephen Jones have each gone on record claiming Prescott remains the future of the franchise yet they’re not willing to commit the same money every other starting quarterback is currently getting.
Maybe they’re simply saying the right things in front of the camera to save face while internally plotting to go in a different direction.
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That could involve making a play for Colorado QB Sheduer Sanders, and eventually his father, Coach Prime.
One anonymous NFC scout believes there’s a chance Jerry Jones is considering the benefits of having a Texas-raised signal-caller, who happens to be the son of a former Dallas superstar.
“With the Dak contract mess happening and struggling to pay their other stars, you better believe that [owner and general manager] Jerry [Jones] has it in the back of his mind what the benefits of a young and cheap QB could be for that team if they crash and burn again in the playoffs. Imagine a home-state kid whose dad not only played for your franchise but was a highly successful player, and Shedeur is the type of player that’d embrace the star on the side of his helmet.” — Anonymous NFC scout via Jordan Reid of ESPN
The idea of Shedeur Sanders in Big D is enticing, to say the least. The Cowboys haven’t had a top prospect under center in decades. While they lucked into Tony Romo and Dak Prescott, the last time they used a Round 1 pick on a QB was in 1989 when they selected Troy Aikman.
Landing Sanders, who could easily be taken with one of the top three selections, would be a bold and exciting move. It also feels incredibly unlikely unless Jones decided to act now.
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The idea they could go after Sanders following a poor season in 2024 is flawed. Waiting would mean Dak Prescott could walk in free agency since he can’t be tagged due to a clause in his current deal. This leaves plenty of money on the books but there’s no draft compensation in exchange for their franchise QB.
Dallas is also unlikely to be in a position to move into the top three as long as Dak is their quarterback. Say what you will about his postseason struggles, but the Cowboys have yet to post a losing record when he starts the majority of the regular season.
That means if Jones wants to swing for the fences, he needs to orchestrate a trade before Week 1. Waiting to see how 2024 plays out will only make it tougher to land a replacement in the draft.
