Dak Prescott might not be the problem, but if he’s not the solution, he could find himself out of a job with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024.
Speculation has already begun on Prescott’s future with America’s Team.
The Cowboys are a disappointing 3-2, and after being crushed by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football last weekend, Prescott is hearing the criticism like never before.
Some of it is fair, some distinctly unfair.
As the starting quarterback for the NFL’s most high-profile franchise, that’s part of the deal. However, the Cowboys’ issues go way beyond Prescott. He would be a convenient scapegoat if Jerry Jones decides to cut or trade Prescott in the off-season. Jones recently gave his quarterback a vote of confidence. Of course, this ignores Prescott’s $59 million salary cap hit in 2024. Dallas could waive him; although, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, a contract extension at a reduced number seems more likely.
Prescott will be in the national spotlight again. The Cowboys will play on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers, who hired Dallas’ former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in the offense. Under Moore, Prescott played his best football. But now, with Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy calling the plays, Prescott hasn’t looked the same.
McCarthy revamped the passing game with a “Texas Coast” offense, emphasizing quick throws. The goal was to reduce Prescott’s turnovers after his quarterback led the league in interceptions (15). While Prescott’s picks are down this season, so are other statistics. He’s on pace to set career lows in yards per pass (6.6) and touchdown percentage (3.1). His passing yards per game (212.2) and passer rating (87.5) would be the second-worst of his career.
Is Prescott struggling because of the shift in philosophy? Or is it something more basic like the change in personnel? Dallas still hasn’t been able to replace Amari Cooper, who was traded to the Cleveland Browns in the 2022 offseason in a salary cap move. It’s not a coincidence that Prescott’s production dramatically improved when the Cowboys acquired him during the 2018 season.
Without Cooper, CeeDee Lamb has been the lone reliable receiving threat. This season, Lamb has only one 100-yard game. It’s easier to defend any offense that has only one consistent wideout. If you’re Patrick Mahomes, you can overcome these limitations. If you’re Prescott, that’s a problem. When you combine the lack of receiving depth with the lack of a short-yardage runner, it’s no surprise that the Cowboys have the fifth-worst red-zone touchdown offense.
Can't run from @fred_warner 😤
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 9, 2023
📺 #DALvsSF on NBC
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You can’t blame Prescott for roster construction or a system that might not suit his skills. You can’t blame him for the injuries on defense that have left Dallas without cornerback Trevon Diggs and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch.
What makes it worse for Prescott is that this season is only going to get more challenging. The Cowboys have the fourth-most difficult remaining schedule, including the Philadelphia Eagles (5-0) twice and games against the Miami Dolphins (4-1) and the Buffalo Bills (3-2). If Dallas fails to win a playoff game or misses the postseason entirely, what will happen to Prescott and his large looming salary?
When Dallas surprisingly traded for Trey Lance in August, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that the Cowboys did so with a leverage play in mind. Again, it still seems more likely that Prescott will be back in 2024.
But with every loss, his future gets a little more cloudy, whether it’s his fault or not.
