Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel believes the Dallas Cowboys need to pursue Zach Wilson to upgrade their quarterback depth behind Dak Prescott.
The Denver Broncos have named rookie Bo Nix as their starting quarterback, relegating Wilson to a backup role. The Broncos have decided to keep three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster: Nix, Wilson and Jarrett Stidham.
“I feel comfortable with those three quarterbacks,” Payton said on Sunday. “I think I told you already I see the three of them making it.”
Wilson’s strong preseason has made him a potential trade chip. The No. 2 overall pick in 2021 closed out his preseason action with 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals. Daniel thinks the Cowboys need to make a move and get Wilson to Dallas.
“Intriguing option for Zach Wilson: The Dallas Cowboys,” Daniel tweeted on August 26. “He’s an immediate upgrade over Cooper Rush/Trey Lance and gives them some depth behind Dak (who has yet to sign). Sean Payton has been loving up Zach & wouldn’t be surprised if its to increase trade value.”
Cowboys Already Have Trey Lance as Project QB
The Cowboys making a move for another developmental quarterback like Wilson seems unlikely with Lance on the roster. Lance — who went No. 3 overall behind Wilson in 2021 — has been assured he’s making the 53-man roster.
“Do I need to see anymore from Trey Lance? Can we stop there? And the answer is yes,” Jones said after Lance’s final preseason start. “Yes. He’s going to be on the 53.”
Lance’s preseason finale wasn’t pretty. He tossed five interceptions against the Los Angeles Chargers, showing he has a long way to go before becoming a viable option.
“Ups and downs for sure,” Lance said of his performance. “I turned the ball over too many times. I think that’s kind of the story. We had a chance to still win it at the end and yeah, I just have to take care of the ball better.
“This sucks. This is one that I’m not going to forget about anytime soon, but it’s part of it. You just have to flush it, turn the page and be able to do that.”
Lance got almost all of the work in the preseason. He completed 73 of 113 passes (64.6%) for 662 yards and showed off his athletic ability, adding a team-high 168 yards on the ground.
Veteran backup Cooper Rush, who is also projected to make the roster, threw just six passes in the preseason.
Cowboys Need to Lock in Dak Prescott With New Contract
The Cowboys also need to have some conversations about the future of Dak Prescott. The team’s Pro Bowl passer is entering the final year of his contract. He’s next in line for an extension now that the CeeDee Lamb saga is over. Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million deal on Monday.
Dallas has put itself in a precarious situation with Prescott, who holds a major advantage in the negotiations.
“Make no mistake, he literally has all the leverage,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on Monday. “The Cowboys would clearly like to get a long-term deal done. If it gets done, he is no doubt going to be the new highest-paid quarterback in the NFL.
“Here are really the options. It is either take a deal that resets the quarterback market — something that Dak Prescott is proud of, that his agent is proud of, that the union knows is a great deal. Or just go be the biggest free agent in NFL history. Those are really the options for Dak Prescott.”
The Cowboys have said they’d like to have a deal with Prescott done before Week 1.
