For the second straight year, a franchise quarterback could hit the open market. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is currently entering the final year of his deal, and just about everyone believed the Cowboys would extend him before he became a free agent. While the start of the 2025 offseason is still a long way away, Dallas has yet to do anything about their star quarterback’s contract.
As of this posting, Dak Prescott carries a $55.45 million cap hit and the Cowboys cannot use the franchise tag on him as a free agent. Because of this, Prescott effectively has all the leverage here, yet Dallas appears to be willing to see what the market will offer.
While it’s impossible to know exactly what Prescott will get on the open market, we know it’s going to be an absurd amount of money. Kirk Cousins is in the same tier of quarterbacks as Dak Prescott, and he just received a four-year, $180 million contract despite coming off a torn Achilles and being five years older than the Cowboys passer.
Dak Prescott Could Become A Free Agent In 2025
Of course, there is the possibility Dallas is waiting for the legal questions surrounding Dak Prescott to clear up before keeping him from the free agent market. The quarterback is currently being investigated for an alleged sexual assault back in 2017, and Prescott himself is suing that same woman for trying to allegedly extort $100 million from him.
It is far too early in the investigation to draw any conclusions about what did or did not happen back in 2017. However, for the sake of this article, we’ll assume that Dak Prescott will be eligible to play and sign with any team he desires as a free agent. If there’s one thing we know about the NFL, it’s that teams don’t let morals get in the way of trying to win games. Even with the potential off-field issues, these five teams could be willing to break the bank for Prescott.
Possible Team Fits
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have two short-term options at quarterback, but no long-term answer. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields should be an upgrade on Kenny Pickett, but neither player is likely to turn into a franchise quarterback at this point in their respective careers. Mike Tomlin has kept the Steelers competitive despite years of subpar quarterback play, so imagine what he could do if he got his hands on Dak Prescott as a free agent.
Denver Broncos
Without significant draft capital, the Denver Broncos will probably roll with Jarrett Stidham and a second-round quarterback like Bo Nix in 2024. Perhaps one of these two players can shock the world, but chances are, the Broncos will be looking for another new quarterback in 2025. Spotrac currently projects the Broncos to have a staggering $95 million in cap space next year, so they might as well go after a sure thing and sign Dak Prescott as a free agent.
Carolina Panthers
Statistically speaking, Bryce Young had a historically bad rookie season last year. While the Alabama product deserves another chance due to the atrocious supporting conditions, there is no excuse if he doesn’t improve in Year 2. The Panthers have been desperately searching for an answer at quarterback since the end of the Cam Newton Era, and if Young fails to improve, the team could pivot to Dak Prescott as a free agent.
New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr will be the Saints quarterback in 2024, but he’ll need to get this team to the playoffs if he wants to keep the job in 2025. Per OverTheCap, the Saints can clear $40 million in cap space by designating Derek Carr as a post-June 1st cut next year. New Orleans does not believe in rebuilding, so instead of resetting the clock and embracing a youth movement, they could sign Dak Prescott to a massive deal as a free agent.
Las Vegas Raiders
Much like the Denver Broncos, the Las Vegas Raiders don’t appear to have a shot at one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft. While the team can roll with Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell, and a second-round pick battling it out in 2024, they’ll probably want an upgrade in 2025. You need a top quarterback if you want to win a division that has Patrick Mahomes in it, and Dak Prescott could be good enough to topple the longtime division leader.
Main Photo: Kevin Jairaj – USA Today Sports
