Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is entering the final season of a four-year pact worth $160 million that he signed in 2021. It’s rather interesting that the two sides haven’t agreed to a new deal yet, and it makes you wonder if Dak might be on borrowed time in Big D.
So if Prescott and the Cowboys end up divorcing next year, who should be on Jerry Jones’ wish list for a Dak replacement? Let’s dive into five QBs the Cowboys should target to take over for No. 4 if he leaves and five they should avoid.
Who should the Cowboys consider as the team’s quarterback after Dak Prescott?
Target: Shedeur Sanders
There are two obvious reasons why Shedeur Sanders to Dallas makes too much sense. Obviously, he’s a five-star quarterback prospect who could even provide the Cowboys with an upgrade at quarterback.
Secondly, the idea of Deion Sanders’ son playing for the NFL’s most marketed and polarizing brand is just too enticing to ignore. Prime Time played five years in Big D and led America’s Team to a Super Bowl 30 championship in the 1995 season.
Imagine if his son, a quarterback, followed Deion’s footsteps and emerged as the new face of the Dallas Cowboys franchise.
If Dallas lets Dak Prescott walk next year, the best bet will be to draft a quarterback in next year’s class. Georgia’s Carson Beck and Texas’ Quinn Ewers, along with Sanders, are the “big three” QB draft prospects of 2025.
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Beck and Ewers may be out of Dallas’ range if they don’t have a top-10 pick, but Sanders could be within reach if Jerry Jones is willing to sell assets to trade up.
Shedeur’s skill set is just too high to ignore. And nobody loves marketing their team’s brand more than Jerry Jones, so it would be the perfect partnership with Shedeur and Deion — who will do his part in growing the kid’s reputation as well.
So if Dak time is up, Shedeur time should commence ASAP in Big D.
Avoid: Deshaun Watson
This is like a long shot anyway, but it’s a firm reminder for Jerry Jones and the company to avoid it at all costs anyway.
We have a theory that the Cleveland Browns may try and trade Deshaun Watson if he has another lackluster year amid his $230 million fully guaranteed contract. If the Browns threaten to bench Watson after next season, he might agree to a restructured deal if it means getting the chance to start on a new team.
If Watson hits the trade block, Dallas should avoid him. He carries too much baggage, would alienate a large portion of the fanbase, and hasn’t played like a superstar since 2020, his last year with the Houston Texans.
Watson’s off-the-field issues and move from Houston have derailed a potential Hall of Fame career. The last thing Jerry can do is replace Dak Prescott with another veteran quarterback who hasn’t reached the top tier of quarterbacks with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen.
Target: Tua Tagovailoa
This, too, is quite a long shot, but we’ve seen crazier things happen…
The Miami Dolphins have never seemed fully committed to Tagovailoa. They pursued a Deshaun Watson trade in 2022 and have yet to extend the Alabama product, all while seeing fellow 2020 draftees Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert sign lucrative extensions with their respective teams.
If the Dolphins don’t go on another deep playoff run in 2024, the front office may decide to move on from Tagovailoa and restart at QB. If that happens, then, of course, the Cowboys need to pursue the star quarterback.
Tagovailoa didn’t hit stardom until Tyreek Hill arrived in 2022. But if he came to Dallas, Tagovailoa would have a top-five wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb and other quality pass-catchers like Brandin Cooks and Jake Ferguson.
Tua has always had a shaky o-line in Miami, whereas Dallas churns out one of the best pass-blocking units every year. Add another stud receiver or two to this offense, and Tagovailoa would absolutely flourish as Dak’s replacement in Big D.
Trading for Tua would cost Dallas at least a couple of early-round picks, but he’s young and just in the early stages of his prime. He’s a guy Dallas HAS to target if Miami decides that Tua’s time is up.
Avoid: Geno Smith
Smith is entering the second of a three-year extension he signed with the Seattle Seahawks a year ago. However, Seattle can cut Smith next year and save a cool $25 million in cap space, which feels like a safe bet given his age and inconsistent production.
If Seattle cuts Smith and Dak leaves Dallas, the Cowboys may be interested in pursuing the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year. We say, “Hold your horses, Jerry.”
Smith was a fun story when he had a career year as a 32-year-old in 2022. But that’s the issue. He’s had one good season since entering the league 11 years ago.
And Smith has been a good fit in Seattle’s rush-first offense that also allows him to get the ball out quickly to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. He’s not being asked to throw 30 times a game like Dak is in Dallas.
If Jones is going to replace Dak, he either needs to find a young guy or a proven veteran in his prime. Smith may be a one-year bridge option at best, and that doesn’t fit the timeline of a Dallas team in win now mode.
Target: Jalen Milroe
If Shedeur Sanders isn’t in reach for the Cowboys….
Why not Alabama product Jalen Milroe, who’s the consensus No. 4 QB prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft class? If there’s an ideal landing spot for this proven winner and dual-threat quarterback, it has to be the Cowboys.
In his first year as Alabama’s starting quarterback last season, Milroe completed 65.8 percent of pass attempts for 2,834 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only six interceptions to go along with 531 rushing yards and 12 rushing scores.
Coming from the prestige Alabama program, Milroe has a high football IQ and displays excellent decision-making with the football, something Dak has always struggled with.
Milroe might not sling it as nicely as Dak Prescott, but he brings more as a runner and wouldn’t commit so many back-breaking turnovers that No. 4 is prone to – especially in playoff games.
Prescott can run when the occasion calls for it, but Milroe’s dual-threat ability could make him more explosive in a Dallas offense that always puts an emphasis on the ground game.
Add it all up, and Jalen Milroe is an excellent replacement for Prescott if the latter leaves Big D next year.
Avoid: Russell Wilson
The way we look at it, Russell Wilson will only hit the open market in 2025 if he flops in Pittsburgh this year. If Wilson shines with the Steelers, he’ll have earned himself a contract extension. Simple.
Wilson had a mini bounce-back season in Denver last year, but the Broncos decided to cut ties with him and take on $85 million in dead money. The future Hall of Famer then signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh worth the veteran’s minimum.
Jerry might feel inclined to pursue Wilson as a free agent next year in the event that Dak Prescott does leave. On paper, why wouldn’t you want a perennial Pro Bowler and Super Bowl-winning QB to run your offense, especially when your team chokes in the postseason every year?
Again, the Cowboys can’t focus on bridge quarterback options here. Wilson will be 37 in 2025, and it’s evident that his athleticism, speed, and mobility have declined since 2021…
If Dallas wants a bridge guy, they can find a veteran option who’s not a diminishing asset. The risks of signing Wilson are just too great, so Jerry oughta to look elsewhere.
Target: Quinn Ewers
A lot can change between now and next January’s national championship game, but Texas Longhorns star Quinn Ewers projects to be a top-15 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Carson Beck realistically won’t be in Dallas’ range. We’ve already made the case for the Cowboys to target Shedeur Sanders, but Ewers should also be high on their wish list if Prescott is indeed a goner.
Ewers doesn’t bring the mobility and dual-threat style that most young QBs boast today. But think of him as a less-polished Justin Herbert. Ewers can stand tall in the pocket and sling it all day long with his rocket arm and pinpoint accuracy.
With only 12 interceptions over the last two seasons, Ewers has also displayed solid decision-making and poise in big-game situations. You can’t say the same about Dak Prescott, but can you now?
Ewers might not be ready to start right away, but he has plenty of upside to be a top-10 QB in this league. And the Cowboys would be set up beautifully with a rookie contract as opposed to having to pay Dak $50 million-plus on his next deal.
Avoid: Bryce Young
It’s not out of the question for the Panthers to finish with a top-five pick and target a quarterback next year…especially if Bryce Young flops again.
Hey, it took the Arizona Cardinals one season to give up on Josh Rosen, and two for the New York Jets to bench Zach Wilson in favor of Aaron Rodgers. The moral of the story is no matter how early a young QB was drafted, teams don’t wait around anymore if they’re not producing.
If the Panthers decide to end the Bryce Young experiment, there will be several teams interested in bringing him back as a reclamation project.
That’s fine, but that team cannot be the Cowboys.
The Panthers rebuilt the o-line around Young and added four new weapons with Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jonathan Brooks, Diontae Johnson, and Xavier Legette.
If Young isn’t going to get it done with those guys — under the guidance of a brilliant young head coach in Dave Canales? Then what makes you think the former first overall pick will be suited to play in Dallas — where there’s far more pressure and exposure compared to the Panthers’ small market?
Young has the assets to succeed in year two after a forgettable rookie year. Another awful sophomore season will probably cause Carolina to dump Young, but the Cowboys must stay far away and look for a safer option.
Target: Kyler Murray
After leading Arizona to a playoff berth in 2021, Murray signed a five-year extension worth $230.5 million following awkward and rather tense contract negotiations.
A torn ACL suffered late in the 2022 season has limited Murray to 19 games since signing that new deal. His production has been lackluster at best since the start of 2022 as well, with 12 interceptions and 15 fumbles in those 19 contests.
Remember, Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon weren’t here when Arizona handed Murray that contract that has quickly shaped up to be one of football’s worst.
If the Cardinals suck in 2025 and find themselves in a spot to take a top QB prospect in next year’s draft, a Kyler Murray trade is not out of the question. And that brings us to Dallas.
Murray is maddeningly inconsistent, yes. But he had four years wasted with Kliff Kingsbury as his head coach. His top weapon, DeAndre Hopkins, missed considerable playing time due to injury and suspension. And Murray has never had anything close to a top-10 offensive line in Arizona.
An explosive dual-threat quarterback like Murray would do wonders for the Dallas Cowboys. CeeDee Lamb would be his No. 1 receiver. The Cowboys would have a consistent 1,000-yard rusher in the backfield to accommodate Murray, who would also be playing behind one of the league’s best offensive lines.
Murray plays like a top-10 QB when he’s on his game. He would fit Dallas’ win-now timeline and give America’s Team their first truly dynamic dual-threat quarterback.
So if Arizona ultimately decides to cut ties with Murray and find a replacement at the draft, the Cowboys should be all over this. A healthy Kyler Murray could be the ultimate difference-maker on a star-studded Dallas team.
Avoid: Justin Fields
Unless the Pittsburgh Steelers bench Wilson, start Fields and see the former Chicago Bear flourish in their offense, he’ll be one of the more notable QBs to hit the open market next year.
Some folks may view Fields as a worthwhile reclamation project for Super Bowl hopefuls like the Cowboys. But from another perspective, why in the world should the Cowboys put their title hopes in the arms of a QB who hasn’t even played like a top-20 starting quarterback up to this point?
We know Fields can run the ball, but he has yet to develop as a passer. You’re talking about a guy with only 40 career touchdown passes in as many games, with an average of 166.9 passing yards per contest.
We don’t care if the Cowboys explore the idea of bringing in Fields as a backup next year. But as Dak Prescott’s possible replacement? Don’t even think about it, Jerry.
Find someone who is actually polished and proven as a passer. If you’re sold on Fields strictly because of his running abilities, just get Marcus Mariota or Taysom Hill at a much cheaper price.
