Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott put up MVP-caliber numbers in 2023, but he choked in the Wild Card round, ensuring the Cowboys suffered yet another early playoff exit.
Heading into the 2024 season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says they are "all-in." But what will come after 2024? Prescott's contract expires at the end of the season, and the two sides haven't made much progress on negotiating a new deal.
Will Dak Prescott be traded? Will he sign an extension with the Dallas Cowboys? What does the future hold for the Cowboys and their franchise quarterback? Let's jump in!
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What Did Dak Prescott Accomplish in 2023?
Prescott put up one of the best performances of his career last season and one of the best seasons of any quarterback in the league. He led the league with 36 touchdown passes, posted the second-highest QB rating (105.9), and threw for the third-most yards (4,516) while completing 69.5% of his passes and throwing just nine interceptions.
He dominated against divisional rivals, leading Dallas to a 5-1 record in the division while throwing for 300.3 yards per game, 17 touchdown passes, and just two interceptions. Critics will point to the fact that three of his four games with four touchdowns came in blowout victories over the basement-dwelling Commanders (twice) and Giants (once), but those wins helped the Cowboys wrap up a division title.
He played so well that he was considered an MVP candidate and ended up placing second in the voting. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, however, won 49 of the 50 first-place votes. Prescott finished with just 152 vote points, more than 300 fewer than Jackson.
The playoffs left a sour taste in the mouths of Cowboys fans, as Prescott threw two early interceptions, including a pick-six, and the Green Bay Packers got out to an early lead. Prescott ended up racking up 403 passing yards as he threw the ball 60 times in an ill-fated attempt to come back. It wouldn't be enough, as the Packers held on to win, 48-32.
Will Dak Prescott Be Traded?
Rumors abound about the future of Prescott. His contract expires at the end of the season, and Jones has said he wants to keep his star quarterback. But other expensive contracts are coming up, including CeeDee Lamb's and Micah Parsons', so it won't be easy to stay under the salary cap.
This offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions have already locked their quarterbacks into long-term deals, but there has been no news of progress on talks between Prescott and the Cowboys.
Prescott says he is not worried and he is leaving the contract to his agent: "Yeah, would give it up just to play this game. So I (leave) that to the business people to say what it’s worth what they’re supposed to give a quarterback of my play. A person of my play, leader of my play.”
But if the two sides cannot reach an agreement, will Prescott be traded -- either during or after the season? The answer is most likely not.
Prescott's contract includes a no-trade clause. The Cowboys look to be playoff contenders again this season, so the team wouldn't want to trade him during the season, anyway.
At the end of the season, Prescott will become a free agent if he does not sign an extension. His contract prevents the Cowboys from using the franchise tag on him. That means that he can hit the open market in 2025.
Dak Prescott's Fantasy Football Value in 2024
Prescott finished as the QB3 in 2023. While his passing numbers were superior to Josh Allen's and Jalen Hurts', Allen and Hurts had the edge over Prescott because of their rushing abilities. Patrick Mahomes had a down year due to poor performance from his wide receivers. If the new receiver corps in Kansas City can step up, then Mahomes will likely finish in the top-3 quarterbacks again.
Prescott remains an excellent quarterback, and Lamb is one of the best receivers any quarterback has to throw the ball to. However, Prescott set career highs in most categories last season, and it is not likely he will repeat it.
In 2022, Prescott finished as the QB18 (while missing four games), and in 2021, he was the QB7. Prescott is certainly a top-12 fantasy quarterback and likely a top-6 quarterback, but he probably won't be in the running for the title of QB1.
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