Dallas Cowboys: Russell Wilson is an upgrade – keep Dak Prescott anyway
By Reid Hanson
As if the situation needed fuel for the fire, Russell Wilson dropped gasoline on the Dak Prescott/ Dallas Cowboys negotiations when his agent listed Dallas as one of the handful of teams he’d consider getting traded to.
Dak and the Cowboys are nearing the last leg of their two-year-long contact negotiation (since 2021 will be the last season Dallas can realistically franchise tag him) and have plenty of drama of their own. Adding an extra partner to the mix is like hitting Tinder to solve a troubled marriage.
Even though Russell Wilson is elite, the Dallas Cowboys are better off with Dak Prescott
Russell Wilson is a fantastic QB. Top-3 on most people’s list. But swapping QBs stinks for both teams and it’s hard to imagine Dak Prescott would be thrilled about it either.
Can Russ Cook Southern?
Russell Wilson is a top-3 QB. Full stop. I know he looked bad the last half of 2020, but before that he was at MVP levels for roughly 2.5 years. Everyone has bad stretches (sorry Cowboys fans who dwell incessantly on every bad throw No. 4 delivers), even the greats. What Wilson has been able to accomplish with the questionable talent around him has been quite impressive.
Even though Wilson is a better QB than Dak, he’s five years his elder. At age 32 he’s probably peaked as a passer. Dak’s best years are still yet to come. That doesn’t mean Dak will ever reach Russ-levels, but is cause for concern knowing you’re trading an ascending talent for a declining one.
Can Dak Win Elsewhere?
Seattle has a couple excellent receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett but the running game stinks as does the offensive line. Given their poor draft record and their cap situation, that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
One knock on Dak has been his inability to be good when talent around him is poor. But outside of Wilson and Aaron Rodgers, I’m not sure who that criticism doesn’t apply to. Go back and watch the last two seasons of Tom Brady. He was terrible in NE without a strong supporting cast. But unfair criticism or not, Dak would take a step back in Seattle with their supporting cast.
Plus, Dak would have to sign off on this too, Dallas can’t trade him unless he signs his tag or aggress to a deal. So Dak would have to agree to go to Seattle to make this swap even possible.
Can the Cowboys win the trade?
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It stands to reason, Seattle would insist on Dallas’ No. 10 pick to consummate such as trade (possibly more). And if Dak doesn’t want to go or if Seattle doesn’t want Dak in return, Seattle would probably insist on two first rounders plus a few top-100 picks. That would be crippling to Dallas and still leave them with their Dak Prescott problem to work out.
Now, if they got Dak to agree to be traded to another team and that team and Dak agreed in principle to a multiyear deal, Dallas could probably recoup all or most of the lost picks they sent to Seattle for Russ. But that’s a big “if”.
Chances are, the Cowboys give up more than they get in this whole thing.
Can Seattle make it work?
Short answer: not really. Seattle would have to eat $39 miilion in dead money just to trade Wilson right now. Then they’d have to fit Dak’s $37.7 million under their cap as well. That’s pretty much impossible. Michael Gehlken at DMN suggested a post-June 1st trade that would divide Wilson’s cap hit between this year and next. Still a tough pill to swallow.
Todd France Factor
The final thing to consider is if Dak’s agent Todd France would accept it. Even if Seattle offered a great deal to Prescott, is France interested in taking it? If Dak plays on the tag in Dallas he’ll do it driving one of the best offenses in the NFL. He’s enter free agency in 2022 and Dallas won’t be able to re-sign him. That’s a dream scenario to France who wants to cash in as much as possible.
Should the Cowboys trade for CB Bradley Roby?. light. Hot
Next. Cowboys Mock Draft: If Dak is still un-signed by draft day. dark
All in all, this trade is bad for everyone but Russell Wilson. All other sides stand to lose.
- Published on 02/26/2021 at 12:00 PM
- Last updated at 02/26/2021 at 11:38 AM