In an unthinkable move, the Dallas Cowboys cut ties with Dak Prescott and trade him in their quest to find another franchise QB and to build for their future. With Dallas not springing on offering Prescott a contract extension, I don't believe they are sold on him in the long-term, and perhaps they could trade him if the price is right.
Well, the only downside here for the Cowboys is that if a team were to come calling, the trade package might not be as much as it could be since Prescott's cap hit is well over $50 million this year and because he's a free agent in 2025. However, for one of the most efficient QBs in the NFL last year, the return can still be great.
Would the Dallas Cowboys build for the future without Dak Prescott in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft?
Cowboys build for future without Dak Prescott in 7-round mock draft
Well, first off, who trades for Dak Prescott? I'll tell you:
Who says no? I mean, the Patriots have not effectively replaced Tom Brady at QB. And when I say that, I mean that they haven't found a franchise QB since Brady's departure; I don't at all mean they haven't found the next Tom Brady. The odds of that happening are nearly zero. However, could the two sides here come to an agreement on a trade like this? The Pats get a solidified top-10 QB and have to give up the uncertainty of the third overall pick.
3rd Overall Pick - Drake Maye, QB, UNC
The Dallas Cowboys are now picking in the top five and land Drake Maye from UNC, who has a good bit of similarities to Los Angeles Chargers QB, Justin Herbert. It's a new challenge for Mike McCarthy, as he'll now have to try to develop a young QB from the ground up, something he hasn't done in a while.
Could this end up being the best path forward for the Cowboys long-term?
24th Overall Pick - Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
The Cowboys definitely need to add a tackle at some point, and it'd make sense to do it early, as Tyron Smith departed for the New York Jets, and will the Cowboys really bump Tyler Smith back out to LT? It might be best to keep him inside and kick Tyler Guyton out to LT.
56th Overall Pick - Zach Frazier, OC, West Virginia
Why not double-down along the offensive line? With Drake Maye in the mix, the worst thing the Cowboys could do for his development is to surround him with a poor offensive cast, especially along the offensive line. It's a logical move, but perhaps Cowboys fans wanted to see a wide receiver with this selection.
Good teams in the NFL are built from the inside, out.
87th Overall Pick - Devontez Walker, WR, UNC
This could be the ideal scenario for the Dallas Cowboys, as they reunite Drake Maye one of his wide receivers in college in Devontez Walker. Perhaps the Cowboys will now find the legitimate WR2 they have been searching opposite CeeDee Lamb. And this could then allow Brandin Cooks to thrive as much as he can at this point in his career.
174th Overall Pick - Keith Randolph Jr, DT, Illinois
The Cowboys are going to finish off this 2024 NFL Draft with some prioritization on the defense. They'll nab Keith Randolph Jr with one of their late-round picks.
216th Overall Pick - Myles Cole, EDGE, Texas Tech
Perhaps a pass rusher named Myles is going to also work out for the Cowboys as it's worked out for the Cleveland Browns. Myles Cole enters into a defense playing alongside Micah Parsons.
233rd Overall Pick - Carlton Johnson, CB, Fresno State
A third-straight pick on the defensive side, the Cowboys look to get younger at CB with Carlton Johnson. The team does have Da'Ron Bland and Trevon Diggs in the mix, but Diggs is working his way back from a torn ACL.
244th Overall Pick - Jawhar Jordan, RB, Louisville
With their last pick, the Cowboys opt to add something to the backfield with Jawhar Jordan. Some might argue that Dallas needs to take one earlier, but there are still some viable RB free agents left on the market.
Would this major Cowboys mock draft help them build for the future without Dak Prescott?