When the dust settled on the 2022 campaign, a lack of production from non-CeeDee Lamb receivers proved to be the Cowboys’ death knell. Going into the offseason, a WR2 is arguably the biggest need on the roster.
Fans would love to see Dallas rectify that mistake by going out and trading for an upper-echelon wideout. Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins is a name that springs to mind. The Bengals could shop Tee Higgins if they can’t agree to terms on a contract extension. The Texans’ Brandin Cooks is another possibility.
Knowing this front office, though, that’s probably wishful thinking.
If there was one position you could absolutely rule being reshaped via trade it’s quarterback, even after Dak Prescott’s wonky 2022.
That didn’t stop former NFL great Larry Fitzgerald from proposing the most deranged trade idea possible for the Cowboys.
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Larry Fitzgerald wants Aaron Rodgers to get traded to the Cowboys.
Here’s Fitzgerald discussing Rodgers future on Sirius XM.
“There’s a lot of conversations about the Jets. If I was Aaron, that wouldn’t be the most enticing route. It would be something a lot more controversial, like for him to go to the Dallas Cowboys,” said Fitzgerald. “He can be reunited with Mike McCarthy and have a team around him that’s ready made. Top three defenses in the league and a plethora of weapons outside. Obviously they have to make a decision with Ezekiel Elliott and his future. But hoping [Tony] Pollard is coming back and he’s healthy. I mean, they have a really really strong offense.”
Come back to me, Fitz. For starters, Rodgers and Mike McCarthy didn’t split on the happiest of terms. Who’s to say either party is itching for a reunion? It wasn’t until McCarthy’s departure in Green Bay and subsequent hiring of Matt LaFleur as head coach that Rodgers rattled off back-to-back MVP awards.
There’s also the Dak Prescott variable to consider. While Rodgers won an MVP as recently as 2021, he regressed significantly this past season. Are we absolutely positive Rodgers would represent an upgrade to Prescott?
At 39 years old, Rodgers might have two or three years left of elite-level play, and he could threaten to retire at any moment if things aren’t going his way. He’ll only account for a $31.62 million cap hit for 2023, but he’s owed an unprecedented $59.515 million as the league’s highest-paid quarterback.
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Fitzgerald’s idea makes for fun offseason speculation, but the Cowboys are the last possible landing spot for Rodgers. Prescott is arguably the better QB at this point in their careers, and Dak’s contract has a no-trade clause. That doesn’t even factor in the dead money Dallas would absorb by offloading Prescott.
We honestly thought a former player of Fitz’s prestige would consider more than Rodgers’ relationship with McCarthy, and the Cowboys’ offensive talent. Money (on both sides) and the fact Dallas already has a top-10 QB are more important, and Fitzgerald ignored them as he floated this into the universe.
We expected better from the future Hall of Famer.