We don't often see 31-year-old quarterbacks face make-or-break years, but that is the reality for Dak Prescott in Dallas.
Prescott is coming off a tumultuous 2024 season, during which he played in just eight games after suffering a hamstring injury. He wasn't necessarily playing lights out when healthy, throwing for a modest 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions last year before being sidelined. That's hardly the production you want from your franchise quarterback, let alone the highest-paid one in NFL history.
Prescott looks to rebound in 2025 with the new receiver duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens at his disposal, but some are suggesting that patience is running thin within the organization.
Former Panthers QB Cam Newton has never been one to hold back his opinions, and his latest take has raised some eyebrows. The 2015 MVP believes the Cowboys will move on from Prescott if the team falls short of reaching the Super Bowl this season - and he already has a name in mind as the successor: Arch Manning.
The path from Austin to Arlington is far from straightforward. Manning, the highly touted nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning, is still in the early stages of his college career and isn't expected to enter the NFL Draft until 2026 at the earliest. He's eligible to remain at Texas through the 2027 season, and most analysts believe he won't leave before he's fully developed.
Even if Manning declares early, the Cowboys would likely need a top-five draft pick to select him - a scenario that seems unlikely for a team consistently in playoff contention.
Complicating matters further is Prescott's contract situation. He carries a staggering $74 million cap hit in 2026 and $68 million in 2027, making any decision financially complex unless Dallas restructures or extends him.
It's no secret that Prescott is on a short leash. He has a 2-5 playoff record since taking over the Cowboys in 2016 and has failed to make an appearance beyond the divisional round.
Additionally, Dallas parted with a fifth-round pick to acquire promising young quarterback Joe Milton from the Patriots this offseason. Arch Manning is likely a pipe dream, but Prescott's days of wearing the star could be numbered if he underwhelms under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
"I want to win a championship. The legacy and things and whatever comes after I finish playing will take care of itself," Prescott told reporters. "I'll be damned if it's just for my legacy or for this team or for my personal being, for my sanity. The legacy will take care of itself. I have to stay where my feet are."
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This story was originally published June 20, 2025 at 3:31 PM.