Fake News: Cowboys Trade For Stafford, But Lose Dak, Amari & No. 10? It’s ‘Silly Season'

Should we carve through "Silly Season'' and examine a how-to trade involving the Cowboys and Stafford? Sure - with a built-in understanding

FRISCO - Allow me to introduce myself as the moron who recently spent a week explaining to our devoted NFL audience why the Houston Texans would never be "football-suicidal'' enough to trade Deshaun Watson.

"Never-say-never'' is now not just a bumper-sticker slogan; it's my new way of life. But there are limits to my new-found appreciation of this NFL world in which there is suddenly acquisition access to high-profile QBs like Watson and Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz and even ... Aaron Rodgers?!

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is not on that list of guys to whom other NFL teams have "acquisition access.'' The Joneses have their plan. A long-term deal with Dak is central to it.

READ MORE: Where's Dak On Cowboys 'To-Do List'? 'At The Top'

But ... we recently examined a how-to involving a Dak swap with Houston for unhappy Texans QB Watson. It wasn't a prediction at all; rather, it was a nuts-and-bolts examination of the moving parts.

READ MORE: Would Texans Trade 'Unhappy' Deshaun For 'Unsignable' Dak?

Should we carve through "Silly Season'' and do the same here with Stafford? And with Rodgers? I'll handle Rodgers in an upcoming piece. But Stafford? Sure, let's do it ... at least in order to see if, through the silliness, there really is a "how-to guide'' ...

Stafford is 32, with some wear and tear on him. (Playing for the Lions will do that to a guy.) He's got two years left on his deal at a cost of only $20 mil per. That's half the going rate for a standout QB - including Dak's projected cost. A bargain, really.

In a vacuum.

But it's outside the vacuum where "Silly Season'' thrives.

READ MORE: Is It True Texans QB Deshaun Has Two Preferred Trade Destinations?

In a story being billed by some as a "rumor about a trade to Dallas,'' Yahoo Sports has its list of “top potential trade destinations” for Stafford. And almost every sentence written in this "rumor'' is baloney. To wit:

*The Dallas Cowboys now have another alternative if they choose to move on from pending free agent Dak Prescott.

There is no credible information that suggests Dallas is "moving on'' from Prescott. And in terms of asset management, I cannot think of a more stupid move than to "move on'' by letting Prescott go unsigned. It's ridiculous.

*(Prescott) is coming off a serious injury.

He underwent ankle surgery. He's rehabbing well. He is expected to participate in on-field work late in the spring. There is no evidence of anything contrary to this.

*Stafford is a Texas native.

That's actually not true. He was born in Florida. Then lived in Georgia. And then as a young boy his family moved to Highland Park. Does he consider himself a "Dallas guy''? Conceivably. But not certainly.

*He has the type of physical arm talent that has made Cowboys owner Jerry Jones weak in the knees before.

I really don't know what this means. Does Jerry Jones like QBs with good arms more than do the people who run the Colts, Patriots, Niners, the Jets and Washington?

*The Cowboys (could create a trade involving) Michael Gallup (or) Amari Cooper that could sweeten the pot, along with their No. 10 overall draft pick in any deal with Detroit.

Wait ... what?

Stafford, who this year started all 16 games and finished with 4,084 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, remains a good player. And he and the Lions are going to work together to forge a trade. But this "rumor'' (which isn't a rumor but rather a figment of a writer's imagination) would mean that to get Stafford, Dallas is giving up ...

1) Cooper (Rebuilding Detroit wants a $20 mil receiver with no QB to throw it to him?) or Gallup

and

2) The No. 10 overall pick

and

3) Dak (by leaving him unsigned).

The writer has one thing right: That is a very sweetened pot.

There are real ways to contemplate a real Stafford trade into the NFC East. Here, let me try:

Washington has the cap space ($35 million projected) to pay Stafford his $20 and still shop free agency. (For a wide receiver?) It also has draft-pick ammunition to close a deal (No. 19 overall, No. 51 in Round 2 and Nos. 74 and 83 in Round 3). WFT's bid should be about No. 19 overall.

That's a "how-to guide.''

Dumping Dak, Amari and No. 10 for Stafford is not a "how-to guide.''

READ MORE: What Would Be WFT's Cost In A Stafford Trade?

Matthew Stafford in silver and blue? Well, yeah, because those are kinda Detroit's colors. "Never say never'' to Dallas? Well, yeah, because I don't want to look like a moron again. Forfeit Dak, Amari and Np. 10 for a QB who is five years older than, but not better than, Prescott?

Welcome to "Silly Season.''

CONTINUE READING: Deshaun Wants Texans Trade - No Matter Who The Coach Is