According to NFL Personnel: Fringe Top 10 QB for the Dallas Cowboys Prescott…
The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2024 season on the final year of quarterback Prescott’s current contract. Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract in 2020, placing him 13th in average annual salary among other quarterbacks entering this fall. Prescott finished as the MVP runner-up last season, throwing for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns, and nine picks in a 12-win season. However, despite his stellar statistical campaign and helping lead Dallas to three straight seasons of top-five offensive production, NFL scouts, execs, and coaches are less bullish on the signal-caller than most.
On Monday, ESPN released their list of the top ten quarterbacks of 2024, voted on by NFL personnel. Positioned in the tenth and final spot, Prescott is one spot below his 2023 positioning in the same poll. ESPN has rolled out their top ten quarterbacks for the past five seasons, with Prescott finishing as high as seven and as low as unranked.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Prescott finished last season’s top five in the NFL regarding passing yards, passing touchdowns (led the league), quarterback rating, and game-winning drives. With a top-three MVP finish, Prescott looked to beat his number nine ranking from ESPN’s top ten quarterback ranking list from the year prior. However, Prescott fell a spot, narrowly edging out San Francisco 49ers passer Brock Purdy and Green Bay’s Jordan Love, among others, for the final spot in the rankings.
One NFC executive said about Prescott, “He always does well enough to be in the top ten but never gets over the hump. He’s playing the position at a high level. But something’s missing. There are a lot of factors in that, from the running game, , and defense, and Dallas hasn’t won in a long while. But certain guys are going to elevate their team late in the game, and doesn’t seem to do that.” Another NFL personnel member agreed, saying, “he’s really good but not quite good enough to elevate the entire team in those matchups.”
Despite the Dallas Cowboys and quarterback Prescott routinely posting monster numbers in the regular season, the NFC squad last went to the conference title game in 1995. Prescott and the company will look to repeat themselves as NFC East winners next season and find much-needed playoff success. Dallas will return All-Pro wideout Lamb next season after the Oklahoma product posted 135 receptions, 1,749 yards, and 12 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the defense allowed just 18.5 points per game, the 5th best mark in the NFL. However, they struggled in their season finale against the Green Bay Packers during Super Wild Card Weekend, allowing 48 points in a blowout loss. Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw for 272 yards and three scores on a near-perfect quarterback rating.
