5 teams that are happy the Cowboys didn’t sign Dak Prescott

1. New England Patriots

After a highly successful run (to put it lightly) from early in 2001 through last season with Tom Brady as their quarterback, the Patriots seemed headed for a gap year with Jarrett Stidham under center, with the longer-term future to be determined (tank for Trevor Lawrence?).

But the equation has changed, if only a bit. Cam Newton is now in on an incentive-laden one-year deal, with some idea he could show he’s healthy, play well and secure a multi-year deal in New England. But the ever-calculated Bill Belichick will have options next offseason, in free agency or the draft, and Prescott can now be listed among them.

Looking at it right now, the Patriots have the fourth-most cap space in the league for 2021 ($90.6 million, via Over The Cap). Regardless of this year’s result, that spending power — along with some good draft capital — puts New England in prime position to load up talent next year.

Even if Newton is healthy and plays at an MVP level for the Patriots this year, Prescott is younger and has yet to miss a game in his career (knock on wood). So an aggressive long-term investment in him can’t be ruled out, even if it will feel unfair to the rest of the NFL for the Patriots and Belichcik to land Prescott as their quarterback for a long time starting in 2021.