It’s not the first time this has been suggested for the Dallas Cowboys, but with the NFL draft just hours away, it's still significant that a well-respected figure in the league is recommending it. The Cowboys, as suggested by former Jets and Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum, should use the No. 24 overall pick on Thursday night not to address the team’s clear needs on the offensive or defensive lines, but to select a quarterback.
Even with Dak Prescott as the current quarterback, who had a Pro Bowl season with 4,516 yards passing and leading the NFL with 410 completions, and being the runner-up in 2023 MVP voting, Tannenbuam advises using the team's valuable asset on a new quarterback.
Tannenbaum’s rationale? Leverage. While Prescott is undoubtedly a star, he has a history of postseason disappointments and is set to have an NFL-record cap hit of over $55 million. He is signed for the 2024 season, but his future beyond that is uncertain.
Selecting a quarterback with the No. 24 pick would essentially indicate that the team is preparing to move on from Prescott after this year, if not sooner.
Is Dak Prescott $52 Million Superior to a Rookie QB?
Tannenbaum's argument for potentially picking one of the players considered the No. 5 or 6 quarterbacks in this draft, as he stated on Get Up! on ESPN:
“Dak Prescott will be getting $55.6 million next year. The 24th pick will be getting $3.6 million per year so if it is, let’s say, Michael Penix or Bo Nix, is Dak Prescott really $52 million per year better? Now, look, that’s going to hurt them short-term, they need a left tackle, they need a running back, amongst others, but for their long-term interest, get some leverage on Dak Prescott for the future.”
There are various counter-arguments to Tannenbaum here, but a prominent response is that the Cowboys already have some leverage against Prescott with the former No. 3 pick Trey Lance. When the team moved to trade for Lance late last summer, acquiring him for a fourth-round pick from the 49ers, the idea was always to have Lance on hand in case the team decided not to overpay Prescott.
Selecting Penix or Nix would emphasize the point. Nonetheless, with Prescott, Lance, and Cooper Rush already under contract, adding another QB to the team would require a Cowboys trade. This could mean Lance or possibly Prescott.
Choosing a QB: 'They Are Waving the White Flag'
Nevertheless, very few people support Tannenbaum's stance on the national airwaves. There is logic there, but selecting a quarterback now essentially signals a willingness to give up on the 2024 season.
Surely the Cowboys are not willing to go that far. They have experienced some losses in free agency, but they still have a chance to win their division and hope to integrate enough young players to reach the playoffs.
Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky expressed strong opposition to the idea of the Cowboys picking a quarterback when speaking with Tannenbaum on ESPN.
“No way,” Orlovsky said. “If the Cowboys do this, I will laugh, all first round. If they were going to do this, they should have traded Dak Prescott. The Cowboys have three picks in the Top 70 in the NFL draft. If they choose a quarterback in the first round, they are surrendering, not only for this season they’re basically cashing out but the era of Dak Prescott and this Super Bowl contending football team, they are cashing out on.
“This doesn't make sense to me.”
