Dak Prescott to Saints: What proposed trade could look like

Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys had a rude awakening on Sunday as they fell short against the San Francisco 49ers for the second time in two years. After years of failing to capitalize on productive regular seasons with Prescott, 2023 could finally be the year Dallas makes a massive move at quarterback.

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How the New Orleans Saints could obtain Dak Prescott for "free"

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Seeing how the Seattle Seahawks benefitted from the Russell Wilson trade, more teams could find themselves more willing to trade their quarterback for big compensation.

The reason the Denver Broncos paid so much for Wilson was because they were desperate for a name-brand player at the position after years of struggle.

Dak Prescott's addition to the New Orleans Saints could be the perfect way to skip an obligatory era of constant losing seasons and swapping rookies. However, it won't come cheap.

Prescott has proven to be able to put together strong winning seasons with multiple coaches over the course of his career. This is despite his disappointing performances in the playoffs.

Of course, several franchises wouldn't have any interest in that, but many, including the Saints, would. Just one year after losing Sean Payton and two after losing Drew Brees, the team fell to a 7-10 record this season.

Another reason the team would have extra interest in getting a massive upgrade at quarterback is the state of the division.

Assuming Tom Brady leaves, a power vacuum in the NFC South will be in full effect. The Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Carolina Panthers will all be looking for quarterbacks.

If the Saints can get a proven winner in Prescott, the team could pressure the others into rushing their quarterback's development. This could cause a spiral effect, keeping New Orleans on top for a number of years.

Of course, it won't come cheap, but the New Orleans Saints will also likely have a big bonus in draft capital on the way. Sean Payton's next destination will be required to fork up expensive draft picks to the Saints as a tribute.

If those are simply packaged into a deal for Dak Prescott, the team could get him for essentially free. They were going to lose Payton anyway, so it would almost be like New Orleans simply traded Prescott for Payton.

Of course, the final price of getting the head coach is up in the air. The Saints are expected to get at least one first-round pick, according to Sports Illustrated, so the team may simply throw that plus a mid-level starter Dallas' way.

Of course, that's all assuming the Cowboys are done with Dak Prescott, who has led the team since 2016. Will the team be willing to start from scratch at the quarterback position?