Nick Wright pitches unhinged Dak Prescott trade idea that will never happen

The Dallas Cowboys season came to a stunning end with a blowout loss to the No. 7 seed Green Bay Packers in the first round of the playoffs. It marked yet another letdown in a big game from Dak Prescott, who was named a second-team All-Pro just days before the loss following an exceptional regular season.

While Prescott's had playoff stinkers in the past, nobody expected him to perform so poorly that his future with the Cowboys would be brought into question. Not after he led the league in touchdowns and finished top-three at the position in virtually every major statistical category.

Alas, Prescott has a $59.55 million cap hit for the 2024 season, and a once-no-brainer decision to give the QB a contract extension reflective of the current market suddenly leaves the franchise at a crossroads.

For some of Prescott's most steadfast apologists, the Wild Card loss was the breaking point in terms of believing he can carry Dallas to a Super Bowl. Fox Sports personality Nick Wright is one of Dak's most ardent supporters, but he no longer thinks it'd be a prudent decision to give him a new contract.

Where Wright lost us, though, is when he advised the Cowboys to call teams slated with a high draft pick about a potential trade.

Nick Wright thinks the Cowboys should trade Dak Prescott

Trading Prescott isn't a galaxy brain idea, but what's the alternative? Putting aside the fact that Prescott has a no-trade clause and would have to sign off on any trade, the Cowboys are still a win-now team.

Wright pitched the Commanders and Falcons as potential trade partners. For starters, Jerry Jones would never deal Prescott to a rival. And why would the Commanders agree to absorb Prescott's $59 million cap hit when they're finally on the cusp of drafting a franchise QB and have the the most cap room in the NFL?

As much as some fans might want the Prescott era to end and reset the money at the QB position, entering the no-QB waters is asking to revert to football irrelevancy. Remember how hopeless the early 2000s were until Tony Romo became the starter in '06? That would be the consequence of trading Prescott.

There's also the domino effect of the current roster to consider. Trading Prescott would bring the futures of CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons into focus. Why give Lamb and Parsons record-setting contracts when there's no quarterback at the helm to make the team competitive?

At that point -- if the front office even finds a trade parter and Prescott agrees to lift his no-trade clause -- they'd have to consider trading Lamb and Parsons and embrace a complete rebuild. Jerry Jones turns 82 this year. A rebuild is seemingly the last thing on his mind.

Whether the Cowboys should give Prescott $60 million per year is a different conversation, but trading the QB isn't in the realm of possibility. Prescott will be back as Dallas' QB1 for at least the 2024 season and possibly longer.

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