Dallas Cowboys Trade Dak Prescott? Why Jerry Jones Should Make His Inevitable Move

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones still considers Dak Prescott his franchise quarterback but is seemingly hesitant to pay him as such.

While the Dallas Cowboys have proven very conservative in their free-agent spending this offseason, having only spent $11 million, which is the least in the league, they are still focused on signing quarterback Dak Prescott to another long-term contract extension. ... or, at least, they were.

Suddenly, Jerry Jones seems to want to "split the baby.'' How so?

On the one hand, he is predicting that Dak "will be at the top of his game'' in 2024 and that he'll win a Super Bowl in Dallas.

On the other hand, he is openly saying the new plan - replacing "All In'' and then "Less is More'' - is "Locked and Loaded'' with Dak regarding that contract extension, the suggesting being that both sides are done at the bargaining table, leaving the QB to look forward to 2025 free agency.

Jerry can't have both. If Dak is a Super Bowl-worthy QB ... then you pay him that way. If he's not, he's not ... and you let him go. But before you let him go, you've got to get something for him.

McCarthy, Dak and Jerry

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And if the Cowboys are serious about this? The damage that will be done to the locker room and to the roster will greatly reduce the 2024 Cowboys' chances at a title. And then Dak will either stay (for more than the $60 million APY we believe he wants now) or leave (with only a future compensatory pick to show for it.)

So, Jerry, are you serious? Quit "splitting the baby.'' Trade Dak. Now.

Despite the continued uncertainty regarding the future of the former fourth-round pick, whose current $54.4 million cap hit has seemingly kept the Cowboys from adding in free agency, Prescott still has the approval and belief of Jones. Kinda.

“We think he’s a great quarterback. That is really the gist of what we’re about this year. We’ve got Dak,” Jones said at the Annual NFL Owners Meetings. “I think Dak will be at the top of his game. I’ve said that I do think he will improve from where he is now. I think we’ll have that.”

Prescott is coming off arguably the best year of his career. He led the Cowboys to their third-straight 12-win regular season while throwing for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions. After being heavily criticized for leading the league in interceptions the year before, Prescott rebounded with a season that saw him finish as a finalist for the league’s MVP award. 

August 10, 2019; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and owner Jerry

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

However, even with Prescott’s bounce-back season, it wasn’t enough to see the Cowboys end their 28-year absence from the NFC Championship game as they suffered another embarrassing early exit in the postseason. This has seemingly put the Cowboys in a bind: they believe in Prescott as their franchise quarterback but won't pay the market-resetting money he desires.

“As you address a player like Dak, you take away from his supporting cast,” Jones said. “That’s not a sales job. Everybody realizes, if you get the bucks, someone else who can help you win doesn’t. That’s factual.”

All of this is to say the Cowboys are in a self-made bind. Do they pay Prescott again in hopes of finally winning a Super Bowl, but this with potentially a less-talented roster? Or do they have this coming season be the “last dance” for this roster's subpar core and blow it up next offseason?

Jerry is the King of the Cowboys. But he's not King Solomon. A commitment is needed. And if the real decision is to risk dumping the 2024 season and risk dumping Dak? The Cowboys might as well start that process now.