Stephen Jones: We’re fired up about our future with Dak Prescott

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The Cowboys are 2-7, putting them in the top five in the 2021 draft order for the moment. They do not have either of their top-two quarterbacks signed for next season, with Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton scheduled for free agency.

So would the Cowboys consider Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields if they had the opportunity?

“Dak’s our quarterback. We’re so fired up about him and him leading us into the future,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com.

Absent a long-term deal by the moment the franchise-tag window closes, the Cowboys will have to decide whether to tag Prescott again for 2021 at a cost of $37.68 million or let him hit free agency. As Mike Florio pointed out on #PFTPM today, the entire four-year contract for a rookie quarterback would cost them less.

It’s no longer a question of whether Prescott is worth the money. He is. The question is: Can the Cowboys afford Prescott with the 2021 salary cap shrinking?

Prescott was leading the league in passing when he was injured in Week 5 against the Giants. He still has more passing yards than Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield and almost as many passing yards as Carson Wentz, Kirk Cousins, Daniel Jones and Ben Roethlisberger.

But Prescott won’t return until 2021, and unsigned beyond this season, it is a question of where he will call home next season. He is making progress in his comeback.

Prescott has avoided infection in his recovery from surgery for his compound fracture dislocation of his right ankle, Jones said.

“This is a four-month injury, barring setbacks and so far if anything, everything that we’re getting from [associate trainer and director of rehabilitation] Britt [Brown] and the doctors is that he’s ahead of schedule,” Jones said. “So yes, he’s been able to avoid any setbacks, and if anything, he’s ahead of schedule, which shouldn’t be surprising the way he goes after any challenge. It’s full speed ahead with Dak, and he’s done a great job at this point.”