Dallas City News

The Dallas Cowboys are still working on signing Dak Prescott to a new contract that would make him the quarterback of the future for the franchise. While that work continues, another conversation continues to become more apparent this offseason—Prescott is regarded as a Top 10 player at his position in most circles around the league. Mike Sando of The Athletic has released his 11th annual QB Tiers column, in which NFL coaches and executives rank the 30 signal callers.

Sando’s anonymous panel comprises “seven general managers, eight head coaches, 12 coordinators, 12 executives, eight assistant coaches, and three involved in coaching/analytics.” Here’s how Prescott was evaluated.

Tier 2

A Tier 2 quarterback can carry his team sometimes but not as consistently. He can handle pure-passing situations in doses and/or possesses other dimensions that are special enough to elevate him above Tier 3. He has a hole or two in his game.

9. Dak Prescott

“Dak can roll out of bed and throw for 450,” an offensive play caller said. “It’s unbelievable. It’s just those moments in the playoffs against the Niners or Packers where, if you want to be Tier 1, one of these times you’re going to have to put that team on your back and will your team to a win.”

Prescott’s five career games with 450-plus yards are tied with Drew Brees for second-most in NFL history (including playoffs) behind Ben Roethlisberger’s eight. Dan Marino, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are next with four apiece. Of those quarterbacks, Prescott is the only one never to reach a conference championship game.

“I have always given Dak a 2,” a defensive coordinator said. “When I did it this year, I gave him a 3. He proves year in and year out that he cannot get it done (in the postseason).”

At the other extreme, an exec from one of the Cowboys’ division rivals placed Prescott in Tier 1.

“Without him, they would be a very average or marginal team,” this exec said.

This is the fifth consecutive year Prescott ranked between ninth and 12th.

“Dak is probably the definition of a 2,” another defensive coordinator said. “There are some holes, he’s not perfect, but he’s about as steady of a 2 as you can be.”

What’s evident through the evaluation from the panel of voters is that they believe Prescott is as consistent of an NFL quarterback as they come. He can help Dallas win in the regular season but they have serious questions about him getting over the hump when it matters most in the playoffs.

Prescott’s overall ranking has elevated one spot from a year ago, but he has finished in tier two for the fifth consecutive season. Putting up historic numbers has never been a problem for Prescott. He finished second in MVP voting in 2023, and when compared to Patrick Mahomes, their most basic statistics are almost identical over a 50-game span.

The 2-5 playoff record haunts his legacy as an all-time great, especially underneath the burning spotlight that comes with being the signal caller of America’s Team. If the Cowboys and Prescott can’t come to terms on a new deal, maybe the added pressure owner Jerry Jones is okay with creating could be the motivation he needs to get over the hump.

If that happens, will it come at the cost of retaining Prescott in free agency for 2025, or will it force Jones to pay more than he could pay his quarterback now? If Jones has shown us anything over the years, he’ll pay his players if they produce. Prescott will get a blank check from the owner if he brings another Lombardi Trophy to Dallas, which may finally elevate his status to that of a tier-one quarterback.