The Dallas Cowboys are set at quarterback thanks to Dak Prescott. But that hasn’t stopped them from targeting potential backups in the recent past.

Which begs the question, will they at least consider picking up the phone to put in an offer for a high-profile quarterback that just became available in the NFL? I’m talking about Anthony Richardson from the Indianapolis Colts, a former Top 5 overall pick, who was recently granted permission to seek a trade.

Richardson fits a Cowboys theme

Though many may be surprised at my suggestion, I will point out the Cowboys have traded for two quarterbacks since 2023, and Richardson is a relatively similar player in the sense that the upside is high.

When the Cowboys traded for Trey Lance in 2023, they did so as a mediocre attempt to gain leverage in their contract negotiations with Prescott. However, they were also acquiring a former No. 3 overall pick with no shortage of talent. It was a risk that didn’t pan out for the team, but the upside was there at the time.

At a lesser scale, the Cowboys traded for Joe Milton last year. Though not as much of an athletic freak as Lance, Milton was already known as one of the strongest arms in the NFL.

Richardson is only 23 years old, and he’s an athletic freak. In limited playing time with the Colts, he’s already shown he has a cannon for an arm and can be a legit dual-threat on Sundays. I don’t know about you, but to me, he sure sounds like the Cowboys’ type.

Trade compensation for Richardson?

The problem is the Cowboys may not be his type. Obviously, Dallas isn’t going to give Richardson playing time, which is what he wants the most. And if his camp is the one seeking a trade, you can expect QB-needy teams to be in the mix.

The Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, and even Pittsburgh Steelers come to mind. Not only do those offer a legit chance at starting reps in the near future, but they’re also likely to offer more than the Cowboys are.

However, if Dallas picks up the phone, I wonder if they offer their fifth-round pick (No. 150 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft. Ultimately, however, this feels like a long shot.

Questions at QB2

Whether the Cowboys target Richardson or not, I wonder what they think about their QB2 situation. Milton’s on-target percentage sat at 65.2%, per Pro Football Reference, which would have ranked below 42 qualifying quarterbacks.

Is his upside enough to outweigh the lack of noticeable improvement so far? We’ll find out soon.