David Helman
Dallas Cowboys Insider
The music has stopped, and the chairs have been stuffed for 2024.
The 2024 NFL Draft was the final a part of the method, and now all of the league’s quarterback spots have been stuffed. Between free company and the draft, we have seen eight groups shake up their beginning QB scenario. Now, we’ll wait to see how these choices pan out.
That is fascinating in its personal proper, however it additionally units the stage for the third (and final) a part of our sequence on Dak Prescott’s murky future with the Dallas Cowboys.
We have been by way of this from the Cowboys’ perspective. We have examined what it should value to retain Prescott with a brand new contract. And if a deal cannot be labored out by subsequent March, we have additionally thought of the Cowboys’ finest choices to maneuver ahead with out him.
For the report, it nonetheless feels just like the Cowboys — who haven’t got a QB underneath contract for 2025 — are the heavy front-runner to re-sign their star quarterback, and there is loads of time for that to occur.
However within the occasion that Dak and Dallas truly do half methods, let’s contemplate the three-time Professional Bowler’s choices in 2025. If Prescott hits the open market subsequent March on the age of 31, he’ll draw loads of curiosity from across the league. Now that now we have a greater thought of who has their quarterback of the long run (and who nonetheless does not), we are able to make an informed guess at which golf equipment would enter a Prescott sweepstakes.
If Dak will not be carrying a star on his helmet in 2025, listed below are seven groups (and some wild playing cards) that at present seem finest positioned to accumulate him.
1. New York Giants
The Giants high this listing for a number of causes. They’re a logical touchdown spot — but in addition a enjoyable storyline. Prescott’s no-tag clause means he can do as he pleases if he hits the open market, together with signing with a division rival that is determined for good quarterback play.
Sure, Daniel Jones remains to be in New York, with younger journeyman Drew Lock as an possibility behind him. However it certain looks like the Giants are setting themselves up for a transition after this season. Lock is on a one-year deal, and the ensures run out on Jones’ $160 million extension after this season.
If Jones does not enhance by a major margin, the Giants might launch him in 2025 and save $19 million towards the wage cap. That, mixed with a handful of contract restructures, would give all of them the cash wanted to pursue Prescott. We have seen them do it as just lately as this spring, once they inked Brian Burns to a $141 million extension after buying and selling to accumulate him from Carolina.
Happily for Prescott, the scenario in North Jersey may look a heck of lots higher in 2025 than it has lately. The Giants spent this spring including reinforcements to their offensive line, and No. 6 general draft decide Malik Nabers offers them a real No. 1 receiver for the primary time since Odell Beckham Jr. left city. Signing Prescott and fixing the quarterback difficulty in March would enable normal supervisor Joe Schoen to deal with drafting much more weapons subsequent April.
The Giants ought to have a wholesome appreciation for Prescott’s capability. In any case, they have not crushed him since his rookie season, posting a dismal 2-12 report in opposition to the Cowboys with him within the lineup.
It is unusual to consider Prescott carrying blue and crimson, however there are a few half-dozen the explanation why it would not be shocking.
2. Las Vegas Raiders
As quickly as Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix went off the board to Atlanta and Denver, respectively, in final week’s draft, this clicked into place.
The Raiders missed their likelihood at a franchise quarterback in 2024, however that hardly looks like a giant deal. Head coach Antonio Pierce and normal supervisor Tom Telesco ought to have some leeway, seeing as they each simply received employed this 12 months.
Fairly than power a decide at quarterback, it made sense to construct the roster with proficient prospects like tight finish Brock Bowers and offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson. A profitable draft class, mixed with vets like Davante Adams, Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, ought to assist the Raiders keep aggressive with Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell at quarterback.
That solely feels tenable for 2024, although. The choice to signal Jimmy Garoppolo aged horribly, however the Raiders might want to get again on the horse and attempt to discover top-level quarterback play. With roughly $71 million in anticipated cap house, they may not be capable to make Prescott the strongest provide, however they’ll actually throw their hat within the ring.
3. Tennessee Titans
With apologies to Will Levis, the aim right here is to think about each risk.
It is not possible to say how good the Titans will likely be this fall, however we do know they’ve given Levis each useful resource to succeed. The offensive line appears to be like revamped. Tennessee has now spent big-time draft picks on Peter Skoronski and JC Latham, they usually signed Lloyd Cushenberry to a $50 million contract to begin at heart. As well as, they have a legendary offensive line coach in Invoice Callahan to teach these guys.
These weren’t the final of the upgrades. Calvin Ridley and Tony Pollard have joined DeAndre Hopkins in Nashville, giving the Titans a workable scenario on offense.
Nobody’s asking Levis to win the Tremendous Bowl, however on the very least he ought to be capable to take a step ahead and show himself as a man value constructing round. Consider 2024 as an audition for the long-term job.
Ought to that take a look at go poorly, it is anybody’s guess the place the Titans flip to subsequent at QB. Maybe they’re going to look to the draft and take one other likelihood there. However second-year normal supervisor Ran Carthon has now sunk a major amount of cash into his roster. As a substitute of hoping to hit on a rookie, he’d most likely choose to go the veteran route.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
On paper, Pittsburgh makes an excessive amount of sense as a possible touchdown spot for Prescott.
The Steelers simply completed an overhaul of their offensive line, and their talent positions look stable. This may not be probably the most stacked offense within the league, however it’s a lot interesting for a free-agent quarterback. Simply ask Russell Wilson, who selected Pittsburgh after his departure from Denver in March.
However simply how lengthy will Wilson’s stint within the Metal Metropolis final? He is signed for only one 12 months. The identical might be mentioned for Justin Fields, because the Steelers opted to not decide up the fifth-year possibility on his contract after buying and selling for him earlier this 12 months.
If neither quarterback catches on, the Steelers head into 2025 with no signal-callers underneath contract and roughly $94 million in salary-cap house. They’d need to be a favourite to pursue a quarterback of Prescott’s caliber.
My solely query is whether or not that matches the Steelers’ DNA. This franchise is as old style as they arrive, they usually’d seemingly choose to draft and develop their quarterback of the long run. All of the Steelers’ biggest signal-callers — from Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger to Neil O’Donnell and Kordell Stewart — had been homegrown. Even signing Wilson for $1.2 million this offseason was a little bit of a departure from how they sometimes do enterprise.
Nonetheless, the Steelers have not had high quality quarterback play since 2020, and it has been even longer since Roethlisberger was really on the high of his recreation. If 2024 is one other irritating season, they might be keen to interrupt out the checkbook to vary that.
5. Carolina Panthers
It could be a bitter tablet to swallow if the Panthers determine to maneuver on from Bryce Younger after solely two seasons, however I feel it is potential. Carolina is not going to have one of the best offense in soccer in 2024, however the additions of Diontae Johnson, Robert Hunt, Xavier Legette and Jonathon Brooks are going to provide Younger a preventing likelihood. If he does not seem like a franchise man this 12 months, it is truthful to surprise if the Panthers lower their losses.
It is particularly truthful contemplating who owns the Panthers. David Tepper’s affect was instrumental in buying and selling for Sam Darnold, in addition to buying and selling up for the No. 1 general decide that landed Younger. He is determined for a real franchise quarterback, having missed the height of the Cam Newton Period. The Panthers spent a ton of cash in free company this spring, however they’re going to have funds left over in the event that they wish to pursue Prescott in 2025. Whether or not they wish to will hinge on Younger’s improvement.
6. Seattle Seahawks
The cruel actuality of this league is that even guys with huge salaries might be moved. There’s been hypothesis about Geno Smith’s future in Seattle from the second he signed his three-year, $75 million extension in 2023. The hypothesis will get a lot louder in 2025, after Smith has earned all of the assured cash on his deal.
Strictly talking, Smith is underneath contract with Seattle till 2026, however these ensures are the important thing. If the 34-year-old does not play as much as snuff this fall, the Seahawks can save $25 million in opposition to the wage cap by releasing him. They’d incur a $13.5 million useless cap cost, however that is comparatively small whenever you’re speaking a few wage cap north of $265 million.
Per a number of studies, Seattle was one among a number of groups that attempted to commerce up and draft Penix. That is not shocking, given Smith’s contract scenario. The one query with the Seahawks is, in the event that they wish to transfer on from Smith, would they be keen to do it with one other costly veteran or flip to the draft? It will doubtless depend upon how the 2024 Seahawks fare.
7. Los Angeles Rams
This one is my lengthy shot, however it’s my try at studying tea leaves. The Rams do not appear to be a logical touchdown spot for a veteran quarterback as a result of they’ve loads of cap commitments in addition to a franchise man in Matthew Stafford. However Stafford is reportedly sad along with his present contract and needs extra ensures.
If the Rams are unwilling to amend his deal, maybe it is as a result of they’d somewhat hold their choices open. Stafford simply turned 36, and he has battled accidents lately.
It might sound cold-blooded, however this is identical staff that traded away Jared Goff. The Rams might launch Stafford — or commerce him — to unencumber cap house and finagle issues from there. Some may balk at changing Stafford with Prescott, although take note Prescott is six years youthful. And whereas Prescott’s 2-5 playoff report might need some scoffing proper now, Stafford was 0-3 within the postseason earlier than he linked up with Sean McVay & Co.
Talking of McVay, that is another wrinkle that makes this fascinating. McVay has been linked to retirement rumors for a couple of years now. Given how obsessed he’s in successful, and the way a lot he is gotten used to successful on the highest stage, does not it appear believable that he’d somewhat take a daring swing to accumulate one other franchise quarterback than begin throughout with a rookie?
It would be difficult, as a result of the Rams do not precisely have a ton of cap house. But when they’re keen to maneuver on from Stafford, they may unencumber the funds to make Prescott a proposal to come back to the West Coast.
Like I mentioned, it is a lengthy shot. However it’s a enjoyable possibility to consider.
8. The Wild Playing cards
It is onerous to take a full accounting of simply how uncommon it’s for a quarterback of Prescott’s caliber to hit free company. Tom Brady was clearly extra completed when he did it, however he was additionally 42 years previous. Kirk Cousins hit the market simply two months in the past, however he was 5 years older than Prescott and recovering from an Achilles tear.
If Prescott, at 31, hits the market with a full invoice of well being, it’s going to be fascinating to see who simply may become involved — as a result of there’ll inevitably be a shock staff or two.
For the aim of this train, I dominated out groups that appear to have long-term solutions at quarterback. Denver simply drafted one, whereas I’d anticipate Miami and Detroit will quickly lengthen their incumbent starters.
But when a novel alternative presents itself, you simply by no means know. It would be surprising contemplating the monetary restraints, however New Orleans and San Francisco might each enter a Prescott sweepstakes — even when they need to shed huge quantities of wage to make it work.
It is a roundabout method of claiming Prescott can have choices, however that is what makes it so enjoyable. With the quarterback panorama set for 2024, we are able to begin to guess who can have a necessity in 2025.
And we do not have to guess that successful quarterback play, which Prescott has persistently supplied in his eight seasons as a starter, is one thing the NFL is keen to pay for.
David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports activities and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He beforehand spent 9 seasons protecting the Cowboys for the staff’s official web site. In 2018, he received a regional Emmy for his function in producing “Dak Prescott: A Household Reunion” concerning the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Comply with him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.
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