Dak Prescott leaving Dallas could be in his best interest

Dak Prescott takes far too much blame for the Cowboys struggles, which is why leaving as a free agent could be a win for him.

Randy Gurzi | Jun 23, 2024

Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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Dak Prescott is entering the final year of his contract with the Dallas Cowboys, and there's been no shortage of drama. Prescott, who went through a similar song and dance with this front office in 2020 and 2021, was able to secure a deal that prevents the Cowboys from using the franchise tag in 2025.

That means if Jerry Jones doesn't find a way to get him the contract he deserves, the Cowboys risk losing their franchise quarterback and getting nothing in return. While that could be devastating for the team, one person who knows the Cowboys well believes it could be the right move — at least for Prescott.

David Helman of Fox Sports was recently on FS1's Speak and said for Dak Prescott's sake, he "would love for this to be Dak's last year in Dallas."

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“I would love for this to be Dak’s last year in Dallas.” — @davidhelman_ pic.twitter.com/Ib5lefevYE
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) June 21, 2024

Helman's take will stir up many differing opinions, but he has his own list of reasons for this being a win for Prescott. First and foremost, the veteran signal-caller would be able to find a team that "doesn't make him fight so hard for his money every time he's up for a contract."

As previously stated, the Cowboys dragged Prescott along the first time he earned an extension. Since then, they have tried to use the media to blame Prescott for their inability to sign free agents around him.

That brings us to Helman's second point: Prescott walking away would allow us to "find out who is really at fault, Dak or the Cowboys."

This goes beyond the front office claiming his salary is hamstringing their efforts. Prescott could even prove that the playoff woes are not all on him — even though it seems obvious where the problem lies. Prescott is great in the regular season and struggles in the playoffs, much like his predecessor, Tony Romo.

MORE: ESPN panelist says Dak Prescott mirrors Tony Romo; will get paid

Dallas fell into Romo as an Undrafted Free Agent and then lucked out with Prescott. Maybe they are good at coaching up the quarterbacks, or perhaps they're holding back players who otherwise could excel with a well-run organization.

That's another point from Helman, who says Prescott could earn more appreciation elsewhere. He says anyone with a resume similar to Prescott's "wouldn't catch half the heat" if he played for a team such as the Detroit Lions. Helman used Matthew Stafford as an example, saying no one blamed him for their issues when the franchise struggled. He also pointed out Stafford won it all once he had a team willing to make the right moves in the Los Angeles Rams.

For Dallas, it makes no sense to continue to kick the can with Prescott, especially since they could wind up getting nothing if he walks in 2025 — think of that possibility when the Houston Texans were able to get three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson while facing a lengthy suspension.

However, Prescott's ability to get a fresh start with a team that wants to win—and wants to help him win—could be exactly what he needs to prove he's never been the problem. It would finally prove the Jones family is the problem, not the quarterbacks they keep wanting to assign blame to.

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