Cowboys Send Clear Message on Trading Dak Prescott to Browns

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The Cleveland Browns were rumored to be in negotiations for Dak Prescott.

Rumors swirled on Wednesday that the Cleveland Browns were in talks to trade for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Bruce Drennan of BIGPLAY Sports Network revved up the speculation, citing sources within the Browns organization that told him of the negotiations.

“Get ready for this one. I got a pretty darn good source within the Browns organization. I heard that part of the reason Myles Garrett was so willing to sign his contract extension — the Browns are negotiating as we speak with the Cowboys for a trade for quarterback Dak Prescott,” Drennan said. “Why? I don’t know. We are not going anywhere with Prescott, even if they pull it off.”

Drennan said that the deal would include cornerback Greg Newsome and draft picks.

The rumors quickly caught fire, prompting Jane Slater of NFL Network to check with her sources on the potential deal.

“I run it all down when working this beat and the Dallas Cowboys are NOT working on trading Dak to the Browns,” Slater said. “In fact, texts with two sources tell me ‘fake news’ and ‘absolutely not’ before this gets any sort of wheels.”

Slater and others also pointed out that Prescott has a full no-trade clause, which would allow him to veto any potential move. With a lucrative contract already in hand, there’s little reason for Prescott to want to leave Dallas, where he has played his entire career.

Browns Miss Out on Russell Wilson

The rumor gained some momentum, mostly due to Cleveland’s current quarterback conundrum. The Browns remain without a true starting quarterback on the roster.

Kenny Pickett, whom Cleveland traded for earlier in the month, is the only healthy passer on the roster. Deshaun Watson is still under contract on his hefty $230 million fully guaranteed deal. However, he’s expected to miss most, if not all, of next season recovering from an Achilles injury.

The Browns were in the mix for 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson in free agency. Wilson had visited the Browns during his free agent tour but signed with the New York Giants. Cleveland and superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett were hopeful Wilson could be in the mix.

“I mean him and I had a little bit of conversation at the Pro Bowl as well as here and I definitely think he’d be a valuable asset as a leader, as a mentor to those young guys,” Garrett said. “Veteran leadership can’t be understated. And I think he has definitely has some juice left at the position. He’s got plenty of arm left. He’s very smart and he knows what he’s capable of. So he’d be a valuable asset.”

Browns Likely to Take QB in NFL Draft

With their capable veteran options limited, the Browns will likely turn to the draft to find their next quarterback. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are the top options.

Cleveland held a private workout with Ward in Miami on Wednesday, per CanesInsight.com. It came after Ward’s Pro Day, which the Browns attended. The Tennessee Titans hold the top pick and are interested in Ward. However, the Browns could try to move up — although it will cost them.

“The Titans have become increasingly impressed with Ward and, while they are expected to listen to offers for the No. 1 overall pick, it now would take an even stronger package to acquire the draft’s top selection,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

Ward is coming off a stellar season at Miami, passing for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

J.R. DeGroote covers the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com. He graduated from Arizona State and has decades of experience in digital media with previous stops at SBNation and Bleacher Report. He has won multiple state, regional and national honors for sports reporting and photography. More about J.R. DeGroote