Assembly with reporters on Thursday, the Dallas Cowboys front-office brass, together with proprietor Jerry Jones, painted a bleak image relating to the way forward for stars Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons in Arlington.
On the subject of the group’s star quarterback, Jones sounded nearly defeated.
“In my life, there have been plenty of issues I wished however I could not get as a result of I could not afford it,” Jones said via the Cowboys. “Have I discovered with that in 80 one thing years? I’ve. And life does go on.”
That is an ominous response, to say the least, however paired with Prescott saying earlier within the day that leaving the Cowboys may turn into his “reality” regardless of his need to remain, the scenario appears much more dire.
It will get worse.
Stephen Jones, the group’s COO, cried poor, claiming it wasn’t “straightforward” to lock up the group’s greatest three gamers. He appeared to lament the truth that each Lamb and Parsons are in search of to be the highest-paid non-QBs within the NFL whereas evaluating the Cowboys’ scenario to the Minnesota Vikings, who just lately inked wideout Justin Jefferson to a historic $140 million extension.
“They are not paying a quarterback. They are not paying anybody on their roster at this level,” Jones mentioned. “So it is simpler for them to stretch slightly extra.”
As well as, Papa Jones mentioned extensions for Prescott and firm may account for “70%” of the group’s payroll. Whereas this is not remotely true, it may very well be the primary of many excuses from the Cowboys’ facet ought to one or all slip by means of their fingers.
If Lamb and Parsons get the paydays they search, they might every common roughly $35 million yearly. Along with what a Prescott contract may seem like, hovering over $50 million a season, the three may take up almost half of the Cowboys’ cap area ($120 million), provided that the 2024 most is $255 million.
Each proprietor and COO appeared perplexed by the concept that the Cowboys may need to pay their high gamers high cash. It is both that or they’re enjoying dumb, which is likely to be the corporate line.
Prescott and Lamb are probably eligible to hit the free-agent market subsequent offseason, with Parsons following in 2026. Thus, the Cowboys have nobody guilty however themselves for the mess that lies earlier than them.
Had Dallas struck earlier and tried to lock up one — if not all three — earlier than this level, the franchise would not have to fret a lot about handing out such profitable contracts. Now, its tardiness will doubtless drive it to set the market at three completely different positions or danger dropping its stars.
