Polarizing Ex-1st-Rounder Tabbed as Cowboys Potential Dak Prescott Replacement

Getty Cowboys potential QB target Justin Fields

Now, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we can be all but certain that Dak Prescott will be the Cowboys quarterback in 2024. He is under contract and an enormous price—$55 million—that would make him a cumbersome trade candidate. Besides which, Prescott is coming off a year in which he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, an MVP candidate who finished second in the award voting behind Lamar Jackson.

Still, at Cowboys Wire, they’re already thinking “next.” Prescott is slated to be a free agent in 2025, after all. And among the possible Prescott replacements the site tabbed for the Cowboys, one is especially interesting: Former Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who now appears to be Russell Wilson’s backup in Pittsburgh.

Fields could beat out Wilson, but if he does not, he would make sense as a make-good target next season.

“Fields is the younger of the two, by far, so the hope in Steel City would be for Fields to outplay Wilson and fall in love with the environment,” writer KD Drummond noted.

“But there’s a clear window where Fields can prove himself to be starter worthy and also not end up back in Pittsburgh. If that’s the case, then Dallas may have interest if Prescott is no longer around.”

Dak Prescott Under Pressure in 2024

There is a lot of pressure on Prescott and he Cowboys in 2024, especially if the stalemate on a new contract remains in place and Prescott is eligible for free agency.

He threw for 4,516 yards last season, with 35 touchdowns and just nine interceptions, quelling concerns about the 15 interceptions he threw the previous season. At Pro Football Focus, he racked up a season grade of 90.0, fourth among all quarterbacks in the NFL.

He could well be set up to do that again, especially if the retooled Cowboys offensive line can come together quickly and remain healthy. That is a big “if” but Prescott has shown he can make good even without top-tier protection.

However, the Cowboys are not after another great regular-season showing from Prescott. They’re looking to finally make some progress in the playoffs, where Prescott has gone just 2-5. And with Prescott heading into the final year of his contract, the feeling is that if Dallas flops in the postseason again, the team will let him go in free agency and find a new guy in his place.

Cowboys a Fit for Justin Fields?

Fields would make some sense. But he remains a polarizing quarterback, a player who has obvious talent but one the Bears could never maximize in the three seasons after they traded up to pick him 11^th in 2021.

Fields is an exceptional running ability who has struggled when he needs to be a drop-back passer. He did improve this season. He ran for 1,157 yards in 2022, on 10.7 carries per game, and curbed his rushing somewhat this season—he still had 9.5 carries per game, and totaled 657 yards.

But he got better as a passer, averaging 197.1 yards per game, the best total of his three-year career. He completed 61.4% of his passes and threw nine interceptions for a 2.4% interception rate. Those were all career bests.

After going 1-5 to start the year with Fields under center, the Bears went 4-3 in their final seven games with him. That relatively strong finish threw into question the team’s plans at quarterback, but ultimately the Bears picked Caleb Williams No. 1 and traded Fields.

Now Fields is in limbo. The Cowboys quarterback position could land in limbo, too. Maybe there’s a match there.