Troy Aikman Doesn't Think Cowboys Will Pursue Trevor Lawrence in 2021 NFL Draft

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman said he thinks the franchise will stick with Dak Prescott rather than pursue a top QB prospect like Clemson's Trevor Lawrence in the 2021 NFL draft. 

Aikman, who led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles in the 1990s and now works as a Fox football analyst, discussed the situation with Jori Epstein of USA Today.

"You coach to win, that's the objective," he said. "I think all those things kind of work itself out. The Cowboys aren't in need of a quarterback. I can see where maybe some teams might look at it as, 'Trevor Lawrence is sitting out there, we'd sure like a shot at him.' But I don't think Dallas is in the market for his services."

Aikman explained he's a big fan of Prescott, who's on injured reserve with a season-ending ankle injury, and he's hopeful the sides are able to work out a contract extension.

"I think the guy's a wonderful individual, a great leader, a great teammate," he told Epstein. "I mean, everything that you want. And he'll get his money. He got money this year, that's nothing to be upset about. But his big payday, multiyear contract is coming. And I'll be the happiest person around for him."

The future at quarterback has become a major talking point in Dallas as Prescott's injury, combined with a struggling defense, has dropped the team to 2-7, tied for the third-worst record in the league.

So the idea of getting a shot to select Lawrence or Ohio State's Justin Fields, which seemed totally out of the realm of possibility when the season kicked off, is now more likely.

Like Aikman, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones downplayed the idea Tuesday during his weekly radio interview on 105.3 The Fan (via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News).

"Yes. You asked me if it's crazy to bring that idea up, and I'm answering you, yes," Jones said with a laugh when asked about taking a QB early in the 2021 draft. "We're playing games here, guys. But it's not the thing to be talking about at all. You know, Dak is our quarterback."

If Dallas is going to keep Prescott, the contract situation must be settled first. He can become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, but the front office has two avenues to keep him: the franchise tag for a second straight year or an extension.

The question is whether the Cowboys' outlook will change if they finish with a top-two pick, putting them in position to take Lawrence or Fields, and talks with Prescott aren't going well.

Aikman believes the team should keep Prescott and utilize that high pick to help upgrade the roster elsewhere, likening the decision to the Green Bay Packers' choice of Jordan Love in the first round of this year's draft, per Epstein.

"The Packers had a lot of needs last year, and they drafted Jordan Love in the first round," he said. "We'll see how that works out, but it doesn't appear to me that Aaron Rodgers is going to be done playing any time soon at a high level. So I don't know how much the Packers are going to reap from that pick."

The discussion will become a lot more interesting if the Cowboys end up with a top-two selection.