The Dallas Cowboys could make a surprising move with Dak Prescott.
Prescott is in the final year of his contract and a proposed trade would have the Cowboys trading him to the Las Vegas Raiders for four draft picks and quarterback Gardner Minshew.
FS1’s Craig Carton brought up the proposed trade as an unverified rumor.
Via Mike Fisher of Athlon Sports:
Carton mentioned, “There are talks that the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders have had some conversations in which the Raiders would send four picks and maybe Gardner Minshew to Dallas to get the expiring contract of Dak Prescott.”
Why the Cowboys Would Consider Trading Dak Prescott
This would allow the Cowboys to trade Prescott before he becomes a free agent and acquire Minshew, who had a successful year with the Colts. Minshew threw for 15 touchdowns and ran for three touchdowns, with a 7-6 record as the starter for the Colts. The 27-year-old quarterback nearly led the Colts to the playoffs.
The exact draft picks were not mentioned, but at least one would likely be high enough to select a potential franchise quarterback. The Cowboys would gain a veteran quarterback to start temporarily and add a future franchise quarterback.
This move would be surprising but the Cowboys are capable of trading Prescott, despite him finishing second in MVP voting last season.
Prescott, 30, has been the Cowboys' starter for eight seasons but has not taken the team past the divisional round of the playoffs. His projected value for the next contract is $50.8 million across four years. according to Spotrac.
Cowboys Could Shift to New Era With Cheaper Quarterbacks
By doing this, the Cowboys could transition to a new era where they would pay their rookie franchise quarterback significantly less. They could use the money saved from the Prescott trade to sign young Pro Bowlers like CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons.
For comparison, Minshew earns $5.8 million this season with a $500,000 roster bonus, while Prescott is due $29 million this season. However, trading Prescott before June 1 would result in a dead cap hit of over $66 million. Trading him after June 1 would result in a dead cap hit of just $26 million.
We will wait to find out the final decision of the Cowboys about Prescott's future in Dallas, but it is reasonable to consider the possibility of trading him before the 2024 season begins.
