Dak Prescott, the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, is about to enter his last season of contract.
The Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott have worked out a new deal for 2024, but there is still a great deal of uncertainty around Prescott’s status after this season. If the two parties are unable to come to a long-term agreement, it would be disappointing, but if a new agreement is not in place by Week 1, speculation will intensify.
Prescott’s current contract contains no-trade and no-franchise tag restrictions, which might let him to become a free agent in 2025.K.D. Drummond of USA Today speculated about other quarterback choices Dallas might consider in 2025.The top player on this list is Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, as the expert is already anticipating the upcoming summer due to the team’s lackluster free agency class.
“Justin Fields, who is currently in Pittsburgh, and Trey Lance, who is already in Dallas, are among a group of guys who haven’t yet established themselves,” Drummond wrote in an article titled “It may be time for Cowboys to focus on 2025, so here’s the plan” published on March 19, 2024. “What if the Steelers are able to get Russell Wilson back on track? After the 2019 season, he too becomes a free agent.
“Kyler Murray of Arizona becomes tradable in 2025, with a $33 million dead cap hit to the Cardinals and $12 million in savings if traded. He has no guarantee money remaining for the acquiring club after that season.”
While it is true that this is a far shot trade target, let’s examine the possibility of obtaining Murray. Murray’s future with his current club is a little bit questionable, much like that of Prescott. Murray’s contract, worth $230 million over five years, is expected to expire in 2028.
Dallas might have some wiggle room with Murray after 2025, but his cap hit isn’t that much better than Prescott’s. Murray’s 2025 and 2026 cap hits are $45 million and $55 million, respectively.
Cowboys Trade Verdict: Dallas Should Pass on Cardinals QB Kyler Murray
By parting ways with Prescott, the team is indicating that, at least at his asking price, they are unable to develop a contender around the quarterback. But compared to Prescott, Murray has even less NFL success to his name.
Murray has only made one postseason appearance in his career and is currently waiting for his first playoff victory. Murray would need to make significant progress in 2024 in order to be a tradeable prospect. Murray was the previous No. 1 choice.
With only eight games played in the previous season, injuries have severely damaged Murray’s career in recent years. The playmaker completed 65.7% of his passes for 1,799 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Murray also scored three touchdowns on the ground and 244 rushing yards.Murray’s performance in 2023 was rated 70.8 (out of 100) by Pro Football Focus.
Cowboys Rumors: The Group Is Trying to Sign Dak Prescott to a Long-Term Contract
Rumors that Prescott and the Cowboys are in the process of negotiating a new agreement are still circulating. For both parties, this is still the most likely course of action.
A veteran like Murray is unlikely to improve the Cowboys’ chances of winning the Super Bowl; instead, if Dallas decides to move on from Prescott, it would make more sense for the team to focus on the NFL draft and start over with a quarterback on a team-friendly rookie deal. “Beyond this accounting move [Prescott’s contract restructuring], the Cowboys are continuing attempts to sign QB Dak Prescott to a contract extension, according to sources,” ESPN’s Ed Werder wrote in a message on X on March 18.
Jonathan Adams covers the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, focusing on the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Lakers. His work has been prominently featured on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. More about Jonathan Adams
