The NFL has not left many quiet moments in the offseason schedule. Immediately after the Super Bowl, the focus shifts toward the following season. After a coaching carousel and roster cuts, the NFL Scouting Combine simultaneously serves as a talent showcase and a rumor mill. Free agency brings a flurry of roster moves and the annual owners meeting sparks debate about controversial rule changes.
Yet, there are still a few lulls in the offseason, including the one that’s happening now. The excitement of free agency is mostly over and the 2025 NFL Draft is still roughly a month away. It's difficult to spin stories when nothing is happening, and sometimes the media’s desperation results in wild rumors and random speculation. Consider, for example, when NBC Sports’ Mike Florio used a Coors Light ad to speculate about Patrick Mahomes’ retirement last offseason.
Any rumor during this time of year should be taken with a grain of salt, but especially when it doesn’t make any sense. One of the first unbelievable rumors of the 2025 offseason popped up on Wednesday, when a report suggested that the Cleveland Browns may be attempting to acquire a star quarterback in yet another blockbuster trade.
Fabricated sources? Browns trading for Dak Prescott is a pipe dream
On the “Bonus Time” show, Cleveland sports broadcaster Bruce Drennan claimed that the Cleveland Browns are actively negotiating a trade to acquire Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in exchange for draft picks and cornerback Greg Newsome II.
According to Drennan, multiple reputable sources confirmed the report and also suggested that the potential trade was a part of the team’s pitch to get All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett to sign a contract extension.
It’s no secret that the Browns are desperate for a franchise quarterback, but the star-crossed franchise has been handicapped by Deshaun Watson’s regrettable contract. Watson’s fully-guaranteed salary has limited the team’s financial ability to obtain a viable starter, and they only managed to sign quarterback Kenny Pickett in free agency. While Prescott would certainly be an upgrade, the trade is not a realistic option.
.@Bruce_Drennan has a #Browns source with some MAJOR news...
— BIGPLAY (@BIGPLAY) March 26, 2025
"The Browns are negotiating as we speak with the Dallas Cowboys for a trade with Dak Prescott."
Watch today's full episode of Bonus Time in our FREE app: https://t.co/64UyE7WBRd pic.twitter.com/s81ETetP5h
NFL Network’s Jane Slater emphatically dismissed the trade as false, claiming multiple sources told her that the report is “fake news.” Even without Slater’s report, most fabricated rumors can be dispelled by looking at the money.
Last offseason, Prescott signed a four-year, $240 million contract extension that includes $231 million in guaranteed money. If Dallas traded Prescott prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, they would be left with a dead cap hit of $148.3 million. A trade with a post-June 1 designation would prevent them from acquiring any draft picks until 2026, which would make it difficult to receive fair trade compensation. Even with a post-June 1 designation, the Cowboys would still face a dead cap charge of $50.9 million in 2025 and $97.3 million in 2026.
The only other quarterback on the Cowboys’ roster is Will Grier, who has not played in a game since 2019. Not only would Dallas lose their starting quarterback, but their dead cap would make it incredibly difficult to retain players such as linebacker Micah Parsons, who is due for a record-setting contract extension. Beyond all of that, Prescott has a no-trade clause in his contract, which means he could simply reject Cleveland.
In other words, a trade for Prescott would be impossible.