This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys’ contract dispute involving Dak Prescott has dominated news reports. Additionally, supporters are left wondering whether the quarterback they have supported for the last eight years will still be wearing the star after the upcoming season, and their curiosity is piqued every time one of Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, or Prescott himself speaks.

The trade for Trey Lance last fall, a former third-overall pick, has added even more spice to this tale. What was the purpose of that? The front management has been evasive about their intentions for Lance, and their hazy comments about Prescott’s future only serve to increase the sense of unease. What on earth are they doing?

We’re not sure. We believe we may be able to tell. A few of us (raises hand) really believe that this three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who was voted the NFL MVP last year in second place, is here to stay. All doors are, nevertheless, open in the spirit of open-mindedness. It’s plausible that the Joneses may try to move from an expensive franchise quarterback to a far more affordable quarterback who is only 23 years old, given that they recently had the most thrifty free agency spending offseason that we’ve ever witnessed. We will thus look at both sides of the issue. Now that we’ve covered the negative aspects, let’s examine the worst-case situations that could occur.

WORST CASE SCENARIO: Let Go of Dak; Trey Is Not the Solution

This one is going to sting a little, so get ready.

The Joneses move on from Prescott and place all of their faith in the young, untested Lance in a world where the front office decides not to be one of those teams that devotes roughly a quarter of their cap resources to his position. What Lance does for them from here until the end of the season will be the decisive factor in this. Flashes at training camp, the preseason, and any photos he sees during the regular season would be the first. The Star’s intellectual trust finally has enough and determines that Lance is their best option.

Prescott is not extended in this case. In an effort to reach a deal before the midseason trade deadline and obtain something in exchange, the front staff would try to persuade Dak to waive his no-trade clause, but it would backfire. As the season progresses, there is increasing pressure to see more of Lance, and we may witness a quarterback battle in Dallas. Prescott and the Cowboys get divorced from each other. A 2026 third-round compensatory pick from a lucrative contract Prescott signs on the open market the following year is all the Cowboys receive in exchange for the settlement.

When the Cowboys discover the next season what the 49ers already knew—that is, that Lance isn’t cut out for the big stage at the professional level—things only get worse. The Cowboys endure similar severe hardships as other NFL teams lacking a competent quarterback. In an attempt to locate a quarterback, this leads to years and years of trial and error, high draft resources, and large free agency expenditures. And as they have already discovered, there are serious repercussions, so it’s not easy. Adding insult to injury, fans watch helplessly as Prescott leads his new club to a Super Bowl triumph while the Cowboys are still having trouble getting their bearings.

Is that enough to hurt you?

SECOND WORSE CASE: Let Trey go after the 2024 season and re-sign Dak.

The Cowboys choose to wait until the 2024 season to conclude, staying true to the idea that the front staff is holding its breath believing that Lance is the future. Concerns about this young, inexperienced quarterback are raised by his lackluster training camp and preseason performances. The unpredictability continues into the regular season, and from the limited action he does see, it’s clear that they shouldn’t put their trust in him to manage this team.

Lance was traded for an unsuccessful dart toss. Will he ever become a quarterback competent enough to play in the NFL? Who knows, but since his contract expires in the upcoming season and he may find employment elsewhere in the offseason, it won’t be found out on the Cowboys’ cost. Alright, you can’t hold it against the Cowboys for kicking the tires and taking a closer look at him.

The good news for Dallas is that they still have one last card up their sleeve to hang on to Prescott. The bad news is, it’s the joker card, as in the Joneses are a couple of court jesters who put on their fancy pants and now look ridiculous. Prescott’s representation wisely advises him to hit the open market as desperate teams offer up big chunks of cash for Dak’s services. The Joneses, not wanting to make the biggest mistake in their team’s history (and they’ve made some big ones), will match any offer. Not wanting to play for a black hole of a team like, the Carolina Panthers, Prescott agrees to terms with Dallas and becomes the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history. When the dust settles, the Joneses still get their guy, but they pay dearly as they’re hit with excessive late fees.

We discussed two of the many possible scenarios for this Dak/Trey quarterback soap opera. We’ll adopt a more upbeat stance tomorrow and investigate whether any more happy endings for the Cowboys are possible.