Dak Prescott's future in Dallas appears increasingly uncertain after NBC's Chris Simms indicated that the Cowboys might be "at the end of their rope" with their franchise quarterback.

The Cowboys' playoff hopes took a significant hit on Sunday with a 33-30 overtime defeat to the struggling Cardinals. Prescott posted unspectacular numbers in the loss, going 19-of-29 for 195 yards and one touchdown while being sacked four times.

With Dallas now sitting at 3-5 and facing a real threat of missing the playoffs, Simms cautioned that the organization's tolerance for Prescott may be wearing thin. Through eight games this season, the 33 year old has accumulated 2,046 passing yards with 14 touchdowns against five interceptions.

"There's been some murmurs ... in Dallas that they're a little bit at the end of their rope with Dak Prescott," Simms stated on the latest Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast.

Should Dallas' difficulties continue, Simms even floated the possibility that the Cowboys might explore alternative quarterback options during the offseason, reports the Mirror US.

"It's like, things better turn around or he ain't gonna be the quarterback there next year," Simms continued. "We'll see. We'll see."

Whether the Cowboys would actually move on from Prescott remains unclear, particularly considering the enormous financial implications of such a move.

Releasing Prescott would saddle Dallas with a $131 million salary cap penalty before June 1, or $76 million if executed after that date, according to Over the Cap. Should the Cowboys opt to trade Prescott, they would face an $86 million or $31 million salary cap penalty depending on whether the move occurs pre- or post-June 1.

Because of void years built into Prescott's 4-year, $240 million contract extension, the Cowboys would continue carrying dead-cap charges all the way through 2030.

Prescott isn't the only high-profile player whose Dallas tenure has become a subject of intense speculation. On The Pivot podcast with Ryan Clark, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz disclosed that multiple franchises are making inquiries about wide receiver George Pickens, who's currently competing under a franchise tag.

"The biggest name people around the league are really starting to get curious about is George Pickens in Dallas," Schultz stated. "He's playing on the franchise tag. He has not been utilized the same way as last year.

"You're talking about, in my opinion, Ryan, one of the four or five most talented receivers in football.

"And the Cowboys' season is honestly unraveling, especially defensively. So the question becomes - and this is the question that several teams have asked me - would Jerry Jones ... consider having a little ace up his sleeve, if you will?".

"And Dallas, would they consider using Pickens as a trade chip to improve another area of the roster? I'm not saying it'll happen, but given where the Cowboys are right now and given the demand for a talent like George Pickens, that is one I'm certainly watching."