Trade Trey? How Dak & Wilson Contracts Could Mean Move
In order to bolster their quarterback depth, the Dallas Cowboys traded former third-overall pick Trey Lance to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round pick. They were able to maintain some power in the case that quarterback Dak Prescott sustained an injury thanks to the move.
If he looked good in any way, his value in a future trade would likely net more than an early Day 3 pick. Or, Dallas could choose to try to retain him long-term as he develops here, which one team source has told CowboysSI.com is indeed a serious consideration. What the Trey Trade did not do was give them some kind of leverage against Prescott in an impending extension negotiation
That sentiment was silly back in August, and in the months since, Prescott has proven to be far more difficult to replace than his detractors imagined.
Although the Cowboys’ recent losing streak and probable second-place finish may have dashed such dreams, Prescott made a lot of money for himself. He played himself into MVP consideration. In 2021, Prescott and Dallas agreed to a four-year, $160 million contract deal.
However, as elite quarterbacks do, he has every right to pursue a new contract extension and establish himself as the highest-paid passer in the league—at least until the next one gets paid. Additionally, an extension would lessen the $59.5 million cap charge that is scheduled for the upcoming season.
We’ve written about Dak as a $60 million APY player – which would make him the highest-paid player in NFL history. Spotrac took a shot at predicting the quarterback landscape for next season and sees the Cowboys going down this path.
The prediction, extending Prescott to a four-year, $240 million contract (with an NFL record $75 million signing bonus), makes a good amount of sense.
Meanwhile, the prediction also has Dallas trading Lance to the Denver Broncos for a late-round pick swap, ending his tenure as the third-string quarterback and ensuring the Cowboys don’t get a positive return on investment for that particular trade. We don’t see that “late-round swap” part of the idea happening.
But … Denver benched starting quarterback Russell Wilson, now infamously, amidst mediocre play and contract concerns. The writing is on the wall that he’ll be on his way out in the Mile High City, opening the door for the idea of a Broncos trade for Lance.
There are pieces that fit here. Does Broncos boss Sean Payton like Lance, who is scheduled to make just $5 million next season in the final year of his rookie deal? Can Dallas turn the fourth-round investment into something a little better? Or can Lance be convinced to stay with the Cowboys under the terms of an affordable deal to serve as Dak’s long-time caddie?
By March, when the NFL business year begins, Dallas, which plays host to the Detroit Lions on Saturday, will have a new contract with Dak locked up.
It is the main quarterback narrative for the Cowboys. But how can we best utilize Trey Lance’s abilities? That quarterback tale will also be quite interesting.
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