The Dallas Cowboys had a rough season last year, and they ended the season before the playoffs with a 7-10 record. Things could have been different if franchise quarterback Dak Prescott hadn’t suffered a hamstring injury in Week 9 that ended his season, but we’ll never know.
While it’s great news that Prescott should be back and ready to go for the 2025-26 season, one NFL expert and analyst actually thinks the Cowboys have their eyes on an up-and-coming quarterback in 2026. It’s a bold prediction that’s certainly turning heads.
Cowboys Predicted to ‘Struggle’ Under Brian Schottenheimer
In a February 13 feature for the Pro Football Network, Kyle Soppe has a bold and outright wild prediction for the Dallas Cowboys. He states that he believes “the Cowboys will lose 12 games in 2025,” giving them the chance “to draft Texas QB Arch Manning in the 2026 NFL Draft.”
Soppe states that he believes it’ll be a “struggle” for the Cowboys to secure six wins under their new head coach, Brian Schottenheimer.
One of the fair points Soppe makes is that Dallas’ opening part of the season could be “rocky,” with linebacker Micah Parsons possibly being a “significant holdout” and missing “most of training camp, similar to CeeDee Lamb” ahead of the 2024 season. That could result in Parsons not having “enough time to familiarize himself with new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ system.”
In the end, Soppe thinks the losses will mean the Cowboys will get a high draft pick in 2026, making way for them to draft rising quarterback Manning.
In a separate Pro Football Network feature, it’s pointed out that “Soppe did not specify how Dallas’ front office will move Prescott,” but that Prescott’s “lucrative contract makes it rather obvious he won’t be on the roster in this scenario.”
Dallas inked Prescott to a groundbreaking four-year, $240 million deal, with an average annual value of $60 million, which is $5 million more than the next-closest player. The deal also has $231 million in guaranteed money.
Holes in the Dak Prescott Argument
There’s a reason Dallas inked Prescott to such a major deal. Prescott is a solid franchise quarterback in the uncertain quarterback landscape of the NFL. While the Cowboys haven’t had much success the past few years, Prescott has proven himself to be an invaluable part of the franchise, both on the field with his stats and off the field with his charity work, which he chatted with Heavy about in December. In game, Prescott had a passer rating of 86.0 with 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games in 2024.
Prescott has been all smiles when it comes to the team’s new leadership under Schottenheimer.
“Understanding the type of coach he is, the type of man he is, the way that he approaches the game, I think the best way to exemplify that is the son of a legendary football coach,” Prescott said of Schottenheimer per the Cowboys’ official site. “He enjoys the work in it, kind of old fashioned.”
Prescott added that he’s “looking forward to the grind and some things that we’re going to do and he’s going to add” and that he’s “excited for him.” The quarterback also says his new head coach is “ready for it.”
