Why (and How) the Cowboys Must Finally Move On From Dak Prescott

It’s time. After 20 years of nothing before Dak Prescott, and now 10 years of nothing with him, the Dallas Cowboys need to move on from Prescott. He’s Tony Romo 2.0. He’s Kirk Cousins. There’s no magic Super Bowl run happening with Prescott.

Prescott’s contract is a brutal anchor for the Cowboys. His production is fantasy-football inflated, and his postseason results are indefensible. The move is not a panic-rebuild. The plan is an intelligent reset with a trade, a proven bridge, and a patient draft-and-develop plan at quarterback.

Trade Dak to a Dumb Team (Raiders, Vikings, Cardinals, etc.)

There’s never not a desperate and stupid team in the NFL. The Raiders are where careers go to die. The Vikings are famous for acquiring quarterbacks when their original team realizes the guy can’t win in the playoffs. And the Cardinals? They’re the Cardinals.

Moving a fully guaranteed $60M/year contract is not easy, yet it can be done. Cowboys fans may squeal, yet getting out from under an overpriced anchor for a third- or fourth-round pick is easily accomplished, especially around the draft.

Geno Smith has failed in Vegas. It’s a market that desires and needs a superstar—even one that can’t win playoff games. The Raiders fan base will convince themselves that Dak is the missing piece. It’s an easy out for the Cowboys.

Maybe the Raiders play hardball and Dallas has to eat some dead money, yet freeing up $35–40M allows Dallas to fortify the offensive and defensive lines.

Short-Term Bridge: The 28-Year-Old Reclamation Blueprint

Cowboys fans will scoff at this, yet both Mac Jones and Kenny Pickett (both turn 28 in 2026) fit the exact profile that has worked with Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones, and Sam Darnold.

All five were forced into starting early for their original NFL team. They accumulated the scar tissue over the course of three or four years. Patience ran out and all of them were benched and dumped.

The next phase for Mayfield, Daniel Jones, and Darnold was new teams where they sat for a year or more. They were able to watch and learn, something they weren’t afforded by their original teams. Then they hit that magic 28-year-old number while on their new teams in Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, and Minnesota.

All of them became Top 20 NFL quarterbacks after floundering the first six years of their careers. Guess which quarterbacks will have had that exact same path and will be 28 in 2026? Yep, Mac Jones and Kenny Pickett.

Dallas should target a trade with the 49ers to acquire Mac Jones this offseason. He can be the bridge, especially since he’s under an unreal two-year contract that extends through 2026. Sure, Jones may want more than his $2.8M 2026 salary, yet Dallas needs to hold firm. He’s just a one-year bridge.

Jerry Jones calls John Lynch in San Francisco and offers that third-round pick they got from the Raiders in the Dak Prescott trade. Or maybe offer Trey Lance back to the...