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Chris Simms Doubts Expensive QB Ahead of Upcoming Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Brendan Howe | Last updated May 16, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Jerry Jones made a splash by trading for another weapon to put beside CeeDee Lamb last week. In acquiring George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys presumably made quarterback Dak Prescott's job easier.

Former Texas Longhorns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Chris Simms isn't sure Prescott is what he's cracked up to be, however.

"Dak Prescott is one thing that you would say, 'What is holding them back?'" Simms said Monday on "Up & Adams." "I don't wanna see he's holding them back, but he is the highest-paid player in football, and I would say he's not near the top-5 quarterback in football, so that's gotta match up a little bit better, right? Is he even a top-10 quarterback? I don't know about that, either.

"So, his play, there'll be a spotlight on that."

Before the 2024 season, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys agreed on a four-year, $240 million extension, including $231 million guaranteed. The pact made Prescott the highest-paid signal-caller in NFL history, and with it came expectations for America's Team.

The Cowboys restructured Prescott's deal in March, converting $45.75 million of his base salary to a signing bonus. That dropped his cap figure from a league-high $89.89 million to $53.29 million. They didn't get a big name in free agency, but he's likely thrilled with Pickens being in the fold.

"The biggest thing was, yes, they needed another offensive play-maker, so they got that," Simms said. "Because their offense was so just all, 'CeeDee Lamb, CeeDee Lamb.' And that's cool, but as you know, when you start to play the really good teams and the really good defenses, they know how to take away a player like that, and then you've gotta have another answer. So, now they have that."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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