Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott isn't a free agent just yet, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of teams that have him on their radar as a possible signing.
The reason for this is the passive war of words that's been happening between Prescott and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones for months now. Jones has said he's content to "let the leaves fall," i.e., he wants to see how far Prescott can take the Cowboys this season before he goes all-in on another big contract for Prescott.
The Cowboy quarterback, meanwhile, has spoken about the reality of the market. Prescott knows he's going to get paid barring a catastrophic injury, so he's probably doing a rundown on the teams looking at him right now on an ongoing basis as the situations as they continue to play out. Here are three situations that could make for a great match.
Dak Prescott and the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers quarterback situation is fluid right now, to say the least. They're going into the season with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and neither one was all that impressive in the preseason. If the Fields and Wilson formula goes sideways, coach Mike Tomlin will be under a lot of pressure to make Pittsburgh a top-tier contender again.
Prescott would represent an ideal way to do this, and it would give Tomlin the kind of quarterback he had back with Ben Roethlisberger, who kept the Steelers in the title hunt on an annual basis. The question is whether the Pittsburgh would be willing to pay up and meet Prescott's demands, but on paper this is a solid match.
The Los Angeles Rams might want Dak Prescott, too
The Rams represent another intriguing possibility, although it's speculative at the moment. They already have Matthew Stafford, but he's been beat up for a couple of years now, and 2024 might be the end of the road for him.
Prescott would give them a high-level transition possibility, and we already know that LA coach Sean McVay won't hesitate to swap out quarterbacks if he likes what he sees on the market.
For Prescott, McVay's reputation as a quarterback whisperer and prodigal play designer would have a unique appeal, not to mention the obvious appeal of LA as a destination. The Rams have also been known to disdain draft picks and go all in on a QB like Dak, so money might be less of a problem here.
Dak Prescott and the New Orleans Saints
Prescott grew up in Louisiana, and the Saints are stuck with Derek Carr for the moment, although his contract makes it easy to cut ties with him next year. The potential player/coach connection between Dennis Allen and Prescott represents a complete unknown, but it's entirely possible that the Saints might be willing to hire whatever coach Dak wants if New Orleans finishes another dreary season near the .500 mark.
The rest of the Dak contenders
There are other possibilities, of course. The Giants, Seahawks, Raiders and Jets have all been mentioned as hypothetical Dak destinations, and all of these situations come with attributes and warts. Other teams will enter the fray, too, while some of the existing potential suitors will doubtless drop out.
How the Dallas Cowboys season plays out will determine the destination
The wild card in all this is how the Cowboys season plays out. Jerry Jones could turn on a dime and sign Dak to a big extension this week prior to Dallas's opener in Cleveland.
Or he could roll the dice and see if Prescott can stay healthy, get the Cowboys into the playoffs and win a postseason contest, which is where the bar is currently set.
We've seen plenty of intriguing quarterback controversies in the past few years, but this one definitely comes with its own unique set of twists. It's a roller-coaster ride waiting to happen, so stay tuned and keep your quarterback scorecard handy.