The Dallas Cowboys could begin to question their succession plan for star quarterback Dak Prescott in the coming years.
Dak Prescott enters his age-33 season in 2026 fresh off one of the best statistical seasons of his career. With the entire offense from a year ago returning at full strength, there are reasons to believe another strong year is possible for the Dallas Cowboys signal-caller.
But fans, teammates, and Jerry Jones alike all know that Prescott likely won't be able to play at this level forever.
The 10-year vet is under contract through the 2028 season, but the Cowboys have escapability if they deem it necessary, which would then force the team into a transition period that may not offer complete confidence in its current makeup.
Dallas acquired seasoned backup Sam Howell this offseason to compete with strong-armed youngster Joe Milton for second-string duties. Milton has had a fine camp thus far in Oxnard, but the Cowboys could only end up with two QBs on the roster at first cuts.
On a long-term basis, this battle with Howell and Milton is all the evidence of what could be Dallas' succession plan to Prescott.
Unless, of course, a move is made.
The Cowboys have shown interest before in trading draft capital for a more reliable backup to Prescott, who's had multiple serious injuries this half of the last decade, with a potential plan for that player to mold into the next full-time starter.
That could be the plan for Milton, but it's still early. Previously, many thought that was the intention with Trey Lance, a project that fizzled out and led to a free-agency departure.
Multiple outlets have pitched Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. as a potential target as training camps get underway.
Penix, the No. 8 pick out of Washington in the 2024 NFL Draft, is competing with fellow lefty Tua Tagovailoa for the starting job under new head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Both, however, are currently injured and absent from the practice field. Tagovailoa has had an injury flare-up, and Penix is still dealing with rehab related to another ACL tear (his third all-time).
Despite the health concerns, our friend Bobby Belt at 105.3 The Fan in Dallas sees Penix as a fit for the Cowboys as plans for the next era creep into mind.
"The Cowboys have been hunting for Dak replacements; they tried with Trey Lance, didn’t work. They threw a dart with Joe Milton, but to this point, it hasn’t come to fruition," Belt judges.
"It's still early, but ... would you throw a draft pick at the Falcons if they said, 'You know what, we’re not going to pick up the option, let’s walk away from Penix'? And my first thought was, well, Penix is super old. And I went and looked it up, and he’s younger than Joe Milton. They came out in the same draft. I did not realize he is younger than him."
Penix, 26, is set to be a free agent in 2028 if his team option is not picked up. Like Milton, he hasn't gotten enough opportunities to prove himself as a prospect worth building around just yet. Nonetheless, he's still seen the field more than Milton has, which potentially gives fans and teams belief that he's on a faster track to producing consistently.
Multiple significant knee injuries and Penix's 4-8 record as a starter, with just a 60 percent completion percentage in nine starts last year, are definitely considerable worries.
Still, with Prescott not yet ready to retire, a move for Penix can be an investment strategy if the Cowboys see more potential in him than Howell or Milton.
"Dak’s getting old. It would just be for a couple of years, let him mature until he is 35, Michael Penix, then let him stand out there," Belt says about Penix learning from the former All-Pro and soon-to-be multiple-time Cowboys record holder.
"For me, a Day 3 flier (say, a fourth-round draft pick?) on a guy who is so good with the deep ball and has shown flashes of what people thought could be coming out of school, to me, that’s a flier worth taking."
Jones has stated that he's not afraid to offload the team's future (meaning draft picks) if it means allowing Prescott & Co. to compete for a Super Bowl. That's a strategy we could see come to fruition as soon as this season.
But sooner rather than later, Dallas will also need to begin formulating its plan for Prescott's heir.
