All the chatter right now is about Dak Prescott's contract, but the real changes could come at the next two spots on the QB chart.
Although still in its early stages, the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 offseason began at some point in the first half of their playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers. By halftime we were already thinking about coaching changes, free agency, and the draft. So why wait to start digging into position previews?
We'll start at quarterback, with Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, and Trey Lance all potentially facing big changes. Prescott will keep his job next season, but what lies ahead in the final year of his current contract is up in the air. On the other hand, Rush may not even get a chance to compete for a backup role if he falls victim to the salary cap.
QB signed in 2024
- Dak Prescott – $59.5 million cap hit
- Cooper Rush – $2.9 million cap hit
- Trey Lance – $5.3 million cap hit
Again, barring the absolute shock of a trade, Prescott will be back as the starting quarterback next year. How Dallas manages his contract, which comes with an almost unsustainable cap hit of $59.5 million, currently scheduled for 2024, will tell all about how they feel about his long-term future. They could mortgage their future for more flexibility now, but that would mean extending their commitment to Prescott as the one to lead them to a championship.
Even if the Cowboys were ready to explore other options at quarterback, they would have to wait a year to move on from Prescott and still put together a competitive team. Cutting Prescott this spring on June 1 would leave $25 million in dead money on this year's cap, with $36 million deferred until 2025. That's a huge burden to shoulder, and on top of that, there's no obvious replacement or resources to find one right away. . The decision to keep Mike McCarthy suggests they are not looking to rebuild yet, so letting Prescott go would contradict that move.
The casualty of Prescott's contract could be his backup. Cooper Rush's $2.9 million cap hit isn't bad for a veteran QB2, but it's a jump compared to the higher salary in Trey Lance's contract. Dallas acquired Lance's rookie contract in a trade last year, and in the fourth year of his contract, Lance's cap jumps from $940,000 in 2023 to $5.3 million if he is on the 2024 roster.
The Cowboys gave up a fourth-round pick to acquire Lance from the 49ers, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee he'll be on the 2024 roster. Although we didn't get to see the former No. 3 overall pick play last year, Dallas gave him a full season of practices, meetings and other observation opportunities. If they don't like what they see, they could waive Lance for just over $1 million in dead money and avoid his $4.3 million roster bonus.
If Lance returns, it's unlikely that Dallas will also keep Rush at his current cap number. If Rush is released or traded, they could receive $2.25 million in cap relief. Retaining him and Lance would mean securing more than $8 million on the cap just for backup quarterbacks. It's not realistic considering other issues.
Given Rush's tenure in Dallas and the rumors of his future as a coach, perhaps they will come up with a pay cut so he can remain as QB3 and be part of the room. But if the Cowboys are going to stick with Lance for more than $5 million a year, they'll have to move up the depth chart to not look completely stupid.
If Rush is released, QB3 will likely go to a third-day draft pick or a veteran journeyman on a minimum contract. At least in theory, Dallas already has its present and future accounted for with Prescott and Lance, so throwing another body into the position now doesn't make much sense.
But what if…
Before we get into that, let's consider for a moment the idea of Dak Prescott being released or traded this offseason. Keep in mind that there is a no-trade clause in his contract, so Prescott would have to approve whatever deal Dallas tries to make. Again, I don't think either of these things are actually happening, but what would the Cowboys do if they did?
If there's one thing 2023 has taught us, it's that some veteran quarterbacks can be competitive while saving a lot of cap money. Joe Flacco came out of the coffin like the Undertaker and helped lead the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs. This year he only paid $2.5 million. Baker Mayfield, another scrap heap contract, helped Tampa Bay reach the second round of the playoffs for just $4 million a year.
What if Mike McCarthy could convince Jones' players that a guy like that could win? If the idea is to eat Prescott's dead money now and move on, perhaps signing a player like Ryan Tannehill or Gardner Minshew would give them peace of mind without completely throwing in the towel. You can do it. For that matter, why not just hand Trey Lance the keys for a year?
Again, we are not saying this will or should happen. But at least look at what other teams have accomplished with bargain-priced passers in 2023 and you'll see that Dallas has reason to make a drastic change at quarterback. The chances may be one in a million, but that means you still have a chance. chance.
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