The Dallas Cowboys locked up Dak Prescott to a four-year, $240 million contract extension on the eve of their season opener against the Cleveland Browns, signaling their commitment to him as the team’s leader for the long term.
However, less than three months after the deal, there are rumors could consider moving on from him. The Cowboys, who came into the season with Super Bowl aspirations, are 3-8 and are more likely to pick first in the 2025 NFL draft than earn a playoff spot.
With coach Mike McCarthy expected to leave the team at the end of the season, there have been rumors that owner Jerry Jones might pursue Cowboys great and Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders to take over the reins in Dallas.
Sanders has dismissed suggestions of a switch to the NFL in 2025, but the franchise could lure him by offering to draft his son, Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and trade Prescott. But as Cowboys insider Ed Werder highlighted on X (formerly Twitter), this plan has two significant hurdles.
“They just made Dak Prescott the highest-paid player in the NFL,” Werder said.
“And he has a no-trade clause and prohibitive cap hits.”
They just made Dak Prescott the highest-paid player in the NFL, and he has a no-trade clause and prohibitive cap hits. https://t.co/EBMG5dz8nQ
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) November 19, 2024
Dak Prescott contract: Can Cowboys afford to trade or cut QB?
Dak Prescott’s contract situation makes it difficult for the Cowboys to part ways with him. For starters, he has a no-trade clause in his contract, which means he has the final say on whether or not the team can get rid of him.
Unless a Super Bowl contender shows interest in the 31-year-old signal-caller, it’s unlikely he’ll waive the clause.
If Dallas finds a potential suitor that Prescott approves of and trades him before June 1, 2025, they’ll have to absorb a projected cap hit of around $90 million. That would severely hamper their ability to improve the roster.
If they trade him after June 1, they can break that cap hit into two parts and absorb it over a couple of years. However, that still wouldn’t make it financially feasible. Additionally, Prescott’s steep contract value means suitors can use it as leverage to give away subpar assets to agree to take the contract off the Cowboys’ hands.
Unless owner Jerry Jones opts for a radical overhaul, the team is stuck with the veteran quarterback. They could still draft Shedeur, hire Deion and let the quarterback sit behind Dak Prescott and learn, which is a situation the Buffaloes star and his father would probably not be happy with.