Cowboys predicted to make surprise QB trade for 2024 draft pick

Now that the 2023 regular season is almost over, it is easy to forget that the Cowboys were not positive that Dak Prescott would be their starting quarterback going into the season. That was one among the factors in the August Cowboys deal that sent Trey Lance from San Francisco to Dallas, which seems like a strange trade now. Lance’s presence might serve as insurance in contract negotiations with Prescott, who is eligible for an extension, should he disappoint.

Now that the 2023 regular season is almost over, it is easy to forget that the Cowboys were not positive that Dak Prescott would be their starting quarterback going into the season. That was one among the factors in the August Cowboys deal that sent Trey Lance from San Francisco to Dallas, which seems like a strange trade now. Lance’s presence might serve as insurance in contract negotiations with Prescott, who is eligible for an extension, should he disappoint.

A Cowboys trade of Lance would be a surprise. He’s not a hot commodity at this point. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, but the guy has not played a snap all season and has not been on an NFL field since September 2022.

But at Spotrac, in an article that predicts “quarterback resolutions for 2024,” contract expert Mike Ginnitti sees a team desperate enough to give Lance a chance: the Denver Broncos, perhaps the one team that might take the small-risk, high-reward gamble on Lance. Don’t expect much of a return, though. Ginnitti sees a Cowboys trade of Lance netting only a draft-pick swap.

Trey Lance to Make $5.3 Million Guaranteed

Again, as Ginnitti notes, the Prescott contract is the headliner, and the prediction is that he will get a mind-boggling $60 million per year.

“Prescott enters a contract year in 2024, set to earn $34M against a $59.5M cap hit. He mathematically projects to a 4 year, $200M extension, but Dallas probably needs to get closer to $60M per year to convince Dak to extend early,” he wrote

ut the situation behind Prescott carries some intrigue, too. “Cooper Rush holds a non-guaranteed $2.25M for 2024, but Trey Lance (remember him?) carries a fully guaranteed $5.3M salary next season. Is he poised to be Prescott’s backup, or will Dallas need to shuffle a few pieces in the coming months?” Ginnitti wondered.

Cowboys Trade With Broncos Could Be Best Option

Given that there is no way to get rid of Lance’s money without a trade, that would be a dismal return for a player who cost the Cowboys a fourth-round pick—in hindsight, a big price to pay for a little bit of Prescott insurance. However, some face might be spared if Dallas is able to complete the late-round pick trade of, say, a fifth-round pick from Denver for a sixth-rounder.

However, the Broncos benched Russell Wilson, and Denver desperately needs a cheap replacement at the position given that the former star’s divorce is rumored to be imminent. Jarred Stidham, a career backup, will take it from here and may try out for the position the following season. Ben DiNucci, a former Cowboys backup, is the third string player for the Broncos.

The most notable team that would be a natural fit for a Trey Lance-Cowboys deal is Denver.

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