Dak Prescott has spent years trying to get the Dallas Cowboys back to the Super Bowl, but another disappointing season could put his future with the franchise under scrutiny. After Dallas blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead against the Arizona Cardinals, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms suggested the team may be running out of patience with its veteran quarterback.

“There’s been some murmurs that in Dallas they’re a little bit like at the end of their rope with Dak Prescott,” Simms said on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast. “Like, it’s like things better turn around or he ain’t gonna be the quarterback there next year. We’ll see.”

Simms’ statement was conditional; Prescott’s performance over the second half of the season will determine his future. Simms did not provide further details about the reported frustration or identify anyone within the organization who shared those concerns. His comments should be treated as speculation rather than confirmation that Dallas is preparing to move on. Still, with the Cowboys sitting at 3-5, Prescott will need to help the team produce better results over the second half of the season.

There is also a major financial obstacle standing between Dallas and QB’s potential split.

Prescott signed a four-year, $240 million extension in September 2024, keeping him under contract through the 2028 season. The deal includes $231 million in total guarantees, a no-trade clause, and four void years running from 2029 through 2032.

According to Over The Cap, Prescott carries a projected $76 million salary-cap charge in 2027. Releasing him before June 1 would leave Dallas with roughly $131 million in dead money. A post-June 1 release would still leave about $76 million. A trade would carry dead-cap charges of approximately $86 million before June 1 or $31 million afterward.

Those numbers make a 2027 departure difficult to picture. A trade would also require Prescott to waive his no-trade clause, while Dallas would likely have to absorb a substantial portion of his contract to make a deal workable. Restructuring or extending him could offer the team more immediate cap flexibility, but either move would push money further into the future.

Prescott’s performance is another part of the discussion. He completed 19 of 29 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown against Arizona, adding a rushing score. Dallas also managed only 93 yards on 39 rushing attempts, and the offense went three-and-out on its lone overtime possession. 

The loss, however, was not solely on the quarterback. Dallas surrendered 27 second-half points, including the game-tying touchdown with six seconds left in regulation. Arizona’s late comeback turned a game the Cowboys had controlled into another damaging defeat. 

Prescott has had his share of postseason disappointments, with just two playoff wins as Dallas’ starter. But the team’s defensive problems have also played a major role in its inability to make a deeper run. The Cowboys would need more than a change at quarterback to address those issues.

Simms’ warning puts pressure on Prescott to deliver, but the contract makes an immediate breakup an expensive proposition. Unless Dallas is prepared to absorb a historic cap hit and find a replacement, Prescott could remain its quarterback in 2027 even if the frustration inside the organization grows.