The NFL is buzzing with trades and signings, but one of the wildest (and maybe craziest?) rumors just dropped! It’s all about Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and Browns QB Deshaun Watson. Both guys are coming off season-ending injuries, and let’s not forget—they’re sitting on some of the fattest contracts in NFL history. But with their struggles last season, the trade rumor mill is spinning like crazy in both cities!

It is said that the Browns are working on a trade involving Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott. First of all, let’s say it out loud: it’s weird and unimaginable for any fan, particularly of the Dallas affiliation. The scenario is unthinkable. The discussion is in the air only because a Cleveland reporter claimed that he had received an update confirming the same. Before we dive deeper into the rumor, let’s check out Spotrac explaining why the Prescott-Watson trade simply cannot happen based on contract numbers alone.

According to Spotrac, the dead cap both players would carry if traded is enormous. To elaborate, if a Prescott-Watson trade happens, Dak Prescott would carry a dead cap of $148.3M, while Deshaun Watson would carry $125.1M. That means the total amount of dead cap involved in this trade could be a whopping $273.4 million – virtually the entire 2025 salary cap space of an NFL franchise. Even if the dead cap is split over two years with a post June 1 trade, the numbers involved would make it impractical for both teams to stay within their cap limits without a mass exodus of some well-paid stars.

If we look at both players’ contracts, Dak Prescott’s contract value currently stands at $240,000,000, with a signing bonus of $80,000,000 at the time of signing. If the trade happens, Jerry Jones‘s franchise would be liable to pay the remaining signing bonus that was spread over 4 more years in double quick time. In the upcoming season, the Cowboys QB will earn a base salary of $2,000,000 and a restructured bonus of $45,750,000.

Similarly, in Deshaun Watson’s case, analyzing his $230,000,000 guaranteed five-year deal, the Browns would be due a signing bonus amount of $44,965,000 in a single year. But that’s not all. The Browns QB also has a $44,745,000 restructure bonus. Watson’s annual average salary is $46,000,000. If the Browns trade him, they would have to eat approximately $125 million in 2025-26.

So, financially, it would not be feasible to trade two high-profile quarterbacks who have elephantine contracts and massive bonus amounts. But how did this debate even start?

Dak Prescott-Deshaun Watson trade talks: real or rumor?

Everything was moving at its own pace in the NFL until a reporter dropped a bombshell in two cities at once! Reporter Bruce Drennan shared his claim on a podcast recently, stating, “The Browns are negotiating as we speak with the Dallas Cowboys for a trade involving Dak Prescott.” But many renowned reporters quickly shut it down with insider knowledge.

Jane Slater slammed the update, saying, “I run it all down when working this beat, and the Dallas Cowboys are NOT working on trading Dak to the Browns. In fact, texts with two sources tell me ‘fake news’ and ‘absolutely not’ before this gets any sort of wheels.” Along with her, Newsweek’s Seth Quinn pointed out several strong reasons why the trade news makes no sense.

First of all, Bruce Drennan is a big-name source, but can anybody truly believe such news involving two high-profile players? Another major issue is the no-trade clause in both players’ contracts. Fans have also commented on Big Play’s post, pointing out that this clause exists, making the rumor even more unlikely.

We’ve seen plenty of wild drama surrounding the Dallas Cowboys before—remember the whole Deion Sanders head coach rumors? That one was way off the mark, but it still had fans talking nonstop. This latest Prescott-Watson trade talk feels like another baseless rumor that’s spiraling out of control. It really makes you wonder—why does Jerry Jones’s franchise always seem to get caught up in these headlines? Whether it’s coaching changes, star player trades, or front-office shake-ups, the Cowboys always seem to find themselves the meat of the NFL’s gossip dinner.

For Drennan, this is either the scoop of a lifetime or just a horrible tip-off that could leave him dining alone at reporter dinners in the near future. For all the reasons described above, we’re leaning heavily towards the latter. Sorry, Bruce!