The Dallas Cowboys could have a number of potential options at quarterback if Dak Prescott leaves.
The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is on the verge of entering the final year of his contract during the 2024 season. While the Cowboys remain adamant that they want to re-sign Prescott as the team’s franchise quarterback for the long term, the potential of him leaving in free agency next offseason is a possibility.
One of the “potential” replacements that K.D. Drummond of Cowboys Wire proposes is none other than New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr. While Carr remains under contract through the 2026 season, he can be released during the 2025 offseason a post-June 1 cut. In that scenario, New Orleans would absorb a dead cap hit of $21.5 million while saving $30 million in the process.
As Drummond mentions, Carr could represent a “bridge” option for the Cowboys as a short-term solution until they find their next franchise quarterback.
“The Saints weren’t in on the top QBs of the 2024 draft, but they did select one of the biggest wild-cards in Spencer Rattler,” writes Drummond. “The former Oklahoma quarterback transferred to South Carolina and didn’t excel, but there weren’t many options at his disposal. Once the top-rated prospect, if he balls out in his opportunities in New Orleans, Derek Carr will immediately become available in 2025.”
Derek Carr Has Yet to Win Playoff Game During 10-Year Career
The 33-year-old Carr has been a starting quarterback since his rookie season in 2014. And while Carr has been a productive quarterback over the duration of his career — he’s a four-time Pro Bowler who has thrown for at least 21 touchdowns in nine of his seasons in the league — he’s had very little success when it comes to consistenly winning games. In fact, Carr is 72-87 as a starter and has led his teams to just two playoff appearances in his career. To top it all off, he doesn’t have a single playoff win on his resume.
In his first season as a member of the Saints, Carr demonstrated more of the same of what he’s shown during his career. He had a solid season with 25 touchdowns against just eight interceptions for a 97.7 passer rating — the third-highest mark of his career. However, he led the Saints to a 9-8 record and just short of a playoff appearance.
How Derek Carr Could Emerge as Cowboys’ Best Option
If the Cowboys do indeed lose Prescott to free agency during the 2025 offseason, Carr actually wouldn’t be a bad short-term option. There will be potentially better and younger options available such as the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa. However, in the event where the Dolphins do re-sign Tagovailoa to a new deal, Carr could end up emerging as Dallas’ best option at quarterback for the 2025 season.
Over the course of his 10-year career, Carr holds passing totals of 242 touchdowns against 107 interceptions for 39,100 passing yards and a 92.3 passer rating. Carr actually has the third-most passing yards and sixth-most passing touchdowns of any quarterback since the 2014 season.
The idea of the Cowboys acquiring and starting Carr may not seem too exciting, but a veteran quarterback with his talent and experience could do some damage with a talented supporting cast featuring CeeDee Lamb.
