10 Cowboys Entering Their Final Season With Dallas
The 2024 NFL season officially begins this week, marking the start of the Dallas Cowboys' quest to end their Super Bowl drought. America's Team hits the ground running when they face the Cleveland Browns on the road in a Week 1 showdown where the Cowboys are projected to be 2.5-point underdogs, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Dallas fans are excited to see what this year's group can do following January's unfortunate playoff exit. But while certain players will likely be in town beyond the current season, others could be entering their final season with the Cowboys — whether that's because they're on an expiring contract or because their play has declined.
With that being said, here are 10 Cowboys who could be playing their final year with the franchise.
1. Dak Prescott, QB
Unless you've been living under a rock you know that the 2024 season is a critical year for Dak Prescott. The long-time Cowboys starting quarterback is set to carry a $55.1 million cap hit in the last year of his contract and will hit free agency in March if an extension can't be reached.
On Monday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Cowboys and Prescott are "in talks" about an extension and that conversations have been going on for a month. Rapoport added that the "stakes are as high as they get" as the veteran gunslinger aims to become the highest-paid QB in league history.
From @GMFB: It’s a game week! And Week 1 serves as a deadline for some big-time contractual issues. Let’s take a look… pic.twitter.com/8LsEH273fW
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 2, 2024
Naturally, Cowboys fans are split on this issue.
On one hand, it seems to move on from a QB who was just the NFL leader in completions and passing yards in 2023. That's without mentioning how he finished second in last year's MVP race and consistently performs like a top-10 signal-caller in any given season. Besides, it isn't as if Trey Lance and Cooper Rush are the most inspiring backup plans.
On the other hand, as beloved as he is, there are concerns. For starters, Prescott is now in his 30s, so it remains to be seen if a drop-off is looming. Secondly, the former Mississippi State product is only 2-5 in the postseason and while not all of those losses were his fault, the fact that he has one playoff win since 2019 still leaves much to be desired.
Hopefully, Prescott proves this season why he deserves to be the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history. Otherwise, the Cowboys could be starting someone new under center in 2025.