Trading for Dak Prescott is the perfect solution to the Colts’ QB problem

Dak Prescott might be on the move. The QB in a Colts uniform next season could mean a run to the Super Bowl in 2020.

When the offseason hits, things get interesting. Teams are gearing up for the draft and players are getting some well-needed rest before the new season begins. Most of all, reporters and writers are bored. The offseason is nothing short of a long couple of months of waiting until April when the season really begins to come into sight. This only lends itself to some bold predictions.

The biggest news story circulating around the Colts’ organization is the future of the quarterback position. From the 13th overall draft pick to free agency, every available player has been discussed wearing blue and white for the team next season.

However, a rather interesting conversation took place last week regarding the movement of Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and their subsequent addition of free-agent superstar QB, Tom Brady.

Now, of course, this could be nothing more than speculation, but it has become a significant talking point. During a January 9th show on WEEI’s “Dale & Keefe,” current NFL Network analyst and former Cowboy legend Michael Irvin shared a Super Bowl Week conversation that he had with “very significant people.”

“I am telling you right now, at the Super Bowl in Miami, some very significant people that I had conversations (with were) leaning in that same direction,” Irvin said. “It was shocking. I had a vodka cranberry in my hand and when they said it to me I put the drink down and said, ‘Let’s talk a little bit more about this.’

“I promise you, I had a conversation with people, I can’t tell you who, about that same scenario going down.”

The Dallas Cowboys are currently working towards a deal with their franchise QB, Dak Prescott. The 4-year veteran has been looking for upwards of 40 million per year, which would make him one of the league’s highest-paid players.

Reports around the league signify a franchise tag for Prescott with hopes that he returns to the level his Pro Bowl rookie and 3rd seasons in 2016 and 2018. He led the Cowboys to a 13-3 record and a trip to the divisional round of the playoffs while only throwing 5 interceptions in his rookie year. In 2018, Prescott brought the Cowboys to the divisional round of the playoffs again, this time while sporting a 10-6 record.

Because the Cowboys are looking to franchise tag the QB, it’s safe to say that they aren’t completely sure that he is their franchise player moving forward past 2020. With the new Mike McCarthy era coming to Dallas, it seems to be a step in the right direction for the team to not give players special treatment for being loved by the front office. That mistake was clearly shown with Jerry Jones‘ dealing with former HC Jason Garrett, with Garrett finally being let go after 9 years of mediocre coaching.

If the Cowboys aren’t completely set on the idea of Prescott as their starter, which seems like the way the front office is leaning, it is critical for them to find a QB that can win now while they search for their true franchise QB.

This is why Tom Brady makes perfect sense. Brady will be able to contend for Super Bowls now, which is exactly what their roster is set up to do. The Cowboys will then be able to look for a trade for Prescott after giving him the franchise tender (which will be near 30 million regardless).

Here’s where the Colts come in.

The Colts desperately need a franchise quarterback to complete the roster. Unlike other teams, the team’s roster has the ability to compete for a Super Bowl, as shown in their 2018 season. Having a proven QB like Prescott would be a perfect choice for the team.

He would have a powerful running game and a top-tier offensive line, similar to that of Dallas. The advantage here is that the Colts’ young offensive line is on an upward trend while Dallas’ aging one is doing the opposite.

Prescott would also come into a system that will still allow him to throw the ball; the Colts’ main problem in 2019 was the lack of chunk plays through the air to complement the run game, and Prescott led his offense to #1 overall in the NFL in total offense while throwing for 4900 yards and 30 touchdowns.

The defense of the Colts has some holes, specifically in the secondary, but nevertheless, it wasn’t the defense that took the Colts out of games this past season. It was a horrible season from kicker Adam Vinatieri and well below average performances from QB Jacoby Brissett in the second half of the season. Prescott has the ability to take a team to the Super Bowl if the pieces are there to help him; the Colts have those pieces, and with him, they can make a run at the big game in 2020.

Trading for Prescott wouldn’t be all that difficult, either. The Colts own 9 draft picks this year and more next year, not to mention the 95 million in cap space the team has, which would be more than enough to take on Prescott’s salary.

The Cowboys would need to draft their franchise quarterback as soon as possible if they were to trade Prescott to Indianapolis; it wouldn’t be a shock to see Ballard give up one of those second-round picks in 2019 (where a good crop of talented QB’s are expected to sit in the draft) to acquire Prescott if he feels that the QB is the right decision for the future at the position. With Prescott in a Colts uniform, all signs would point towards a Super Bowl in 2020.