Is Dak Prescott just a placeholder for a pure pocket passer?

With a contract extension looming next year, the Dallas Cowboys will need to decide if Dak Prescott is their franchise quarterback or simply a placeholder.

The Dallas Cowboys had to consider themselves one of the luckiest teams in the NFL in 2016. After two failed attempts to trade up in that year’s draft for rookie quarterbacks, they settled for Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott on Day Three. He was actually their second selection in the fourth round. The first being Oklahoma defensive end Charles Tapper, who is no longer on the team.

Prescott shocked the sporting world two years ago, posting one of the best rookie seasons by a quarterback in the history of the NFL. Dak recorded 3,667 yards for 29 total touchdowns and only four interceptions for the Cowboys. And he did so with a sky-high 67.8 completion percentage.

Unfortunately, that percentage would drop to 62.9 in Year Two, as Prescott struggled to recapture the magic he found in his first season.

One of the biggest knocks on Prescott is the fact he needs near perfect conditions to succeed. As a rookie, Dak had the best offensive line in football, the NFL rushing leader in rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, a number one wide receiver in Dez Bryant, the league’s top slot receiver in Cole Beasley, and a future Hall of Famer at tight end in Jason Witten.

That season, Prescott won Offensive Rookie of the Year, was nominated to the Pro Bowl and led the Cowboys to the playoffs after posting a 13-3 record. Without Elliott for six games last year, Prescott’s game fell apart. The Cowboys missed the playoffs after posting a disappointing 9-7 record and many believed Dak’s play regressed as the season wore on.