There have been a lot of discussions about Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott this offseason. While Jerry Jones has reiterated multiple times, the team is hoping to work out a contract extension to keep Prescott in Dallas for the long term. However, not everyone is sold on that notion.
Last season, Prescott struggled mightily with turnovers. He led the NFL with 15 interceptions during the regular season despite playing in only 12 games. His inconsistency cost the Cowboys in the playoffs when he reverted back to a pumpkin in the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers after dominating the Wild Card matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The chatter became even louder when the Cowboys acquired Trey Lance from the 49ers. The career path for the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has certainly not gone according to plan, but he could find his footing in Dallas.
One of the people who have been most focal about the Cowboys making a change is Stephen A. Smith. On a recent segment on ESPN’s First Take, he suggested that the team entertain the idea of trading their franchise quarterback after the 2023 season should improvements not be made.
“At the end of the day, what Jerry Jones is saying, considering the dead cap hit—$61.9 million he’s gonna have next year, so you don’t want to release him because it’ll kill you. But that means that you will entertain trading him, if he wets the bed.”
What a down season for Prescott is, is certainly open to interpretation. He has helped lead the Cowboys to consecutive double-digit win seasons for the first time since their dynasty in the 90s.
While that certainly counts for something, Jones is focused on playoff success more than regular season exploits, which is where the Cowboys have fallen short. Dallas hasn’t advanced beyond the Divisional Round since the same dynasty years, which has bothered Jones immensely.
Prescott has shown that he can produce at an impressive clip, but that championship mettle has yet to be showcased. The Cowboys can rack up wins with him as their starter, but getting over the hump against top competition has eluded them.
