Cowboys To Make Unexpected Trade for 2024 Draft Pick to Acquire QB
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.
Although Prescott’s MVP-caliber season is the best possible result for the Cowboys, it does present a small issue for Dallas: What should happen to Lance, who has a guaranteed debt of $5.3 million? Naturally, there won’t be a significant cap charge, but $5.3 million is a lot to pay
a third-string player in 2024 when Dallas will be tight for cash (if Cooper Rush stays put).
Lance being traded to the Cowboys would be unexpected. Right now, he’s not a really sought-after asset. Despite being the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, he hasn’t appeared on an NFL field since September 2022 and hasn’t played a snap this season.
However, contract expert Mike Ginnitti of Spotrac envisions a team willing to give Lance a chance in an article titled “Quarterback Resolutions for 2024.” The Denver Broncos are perhaps the only team willing to take the low-risk, high-reward bet on Lance. But don’t anticipate receiving much in return. Ginnitti sees a trade of Lance to the Cowboys resulting simply in a swap of draft picks.
Trey Lance Will Definitely Make $5.3 Million
Once more, as Ginnitti points out, Prescott’s contract is the big story here, with an estimated $60 million annually going to him.
2024 will mark Prescott’s contract year; he will make $34 million with a $59.5 million cap hit. Although he estimates a four-year, $200 million extension, he said that Dallas would likely need to raise its annual budget to more in order to persuade Dak to extend early.
But there’s also some mystery about Prescott’s circumstances. “Trey Lance (do you remember him?) has a fully guaranteed $5.3M salary for the upcoming season, whereas Cooper Rush has a non-guaranteed $2.25M for 2024. Is he ready to back up Prescott, or will Dallas have to make some changes in the upcoming months? Ginnitti pondered.
