Cowboys Rumors: Andy Dalton Signing 'Has Nothing to Do with Dak Prescott'

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

Dallas Cowboys fans reportedly have no reason to fear for incumbent quarterback Dak Prescott after the team agreed to terms with Andy Dalton on a one-year deal.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the move is purely an insurance policy for the Cowboys ahead of what may be the team's most anticipated season since Prescott was drafted in 2016.

There's no question this is still Prescott's team, though it's easy to understand why there could be some lingering concern. 

The Cowboys have yet to reach a long-term agreement with their star quarterback and instead had to use the franchise tag, which will cost them $31.4 million this season. Negotiations continue while the team continues to strengthen the roster around the 26-year-old. 

Four-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper re-signed with the team this offseason for five years and $100 million, and the Cowboys were able to grab a highly touted counterpart in receiver CeeDee Lamb out of Oklahoma in the first round of the NFL draft. 

Those moves are in addition to Dallas agreeing to terms with tight end Blake Jarwin and guard Joe Looney on offense as well as Sean Lee, Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe, Aldon Smith and Anthony Brown on defense. 

For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, entering the season without a strong backup quarterback made for a glaring hole on the roster. As the Philadelphia Eagles proved in 2017 with Nick Foles replacing Carson Wentz, a quarterback injury doesn't have to derail a team's title run.

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Dallas is hoping it doesn't come to that, but it had no choice but to prepare for a worst-case scenario. 

Now it can cross that off its offseason to-do list—at least until 2021.