The Dallas Cowboys have several superstars scheduled for new contracts, but the front office's drag has hurt their ability to improve the roster.
DALLAS — As you've probably heard, the Dallas Cowboys' offseason didn't get off to a great start, but it was somewhat expected. With a plethora of free agents, the Cowboys were destined to lose several players on the open market.
What was unexpected was that the team was unable to develop its best players. The Cowboys entered the offseason with their Big Three, re-signing quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and pass rusher Micah Parsons, who will be extended. So far, there has been no re-up, and no deal appears to be imminent.
It's not at all surprising that Jerry and Stephen Jones haven't put together a deal with a big-name player, but they are often very slow to put deals together. But what's strange is that there doesn't seem to be any obvious sense of urgency to accomplish any of them.
For a team facing salary cap pressure, a contract extension with either Lamb or Prescott could free up space for the Cowboys to sign more helpers in free agency and improve a roster expected to compete in 2024. There is. Like a priority.
Jerry Jones has recently said that Prescott is a quarterback who can win a Super Bowl, but he is trying to come up with extra time and give the team more freedom to move in order to help Prescott by doing so. It's baffling to see that you haven't gotten over the hump. Wouldn't he want to keep a QB who continues to give his team the best chance of winning? Wouldn't he want to have the best possible roster in front of that QB?
These are the questions that have plagued the Cowboys' offseason, beyond everyone having to learn a new definition of what Jones means by “all in.”
Instead of answering these questions, the Joneses seem content to let the contract talk drag on. If a deal is not finalized before the season, Prescott will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and could potentially sign the largest contract in NFL history.
If the organization doesn't pay Prescott now, there's a good chance they won't be willing to pay that price next March. Also, teams can't use the franchise tag on QBs, so if the All-Pro signal-caller and MVP runner-up becomes a free agent, his time in Dallas will likely end and the franchise will revert back to normal. May be square.
Of course, that doomsday scenario aside, a deal could happen at any time, but given the history between the team and Prescott's agent, anything could happen.
The same can be said about Lamb and his potential new contract. The team would be wise to sign one of the league's best WRs to a new contract, but there is little movement toward an extension.
Lamb is coming off a historic year in which he broke many of the Cowboys' single-season records and was named a first-team All-Pro. The four-year veteran is firmly established as one of the top WRs in the league and should be compensated accordingly.
But unlike with Prescott, the Cowboys have more avenues to keep Lamb after the season, including using the franchise tag. The team has used it so far without any problems and will likely use it again next year if an extension is not possible.
It's understandable why Lamb would want to take things a little slower. Fellow All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson also wants a new contract, and Lamb's agents likely want to see what his draft mate gets before agreeing to a new deal.
That's exactly why Dallas needs to hurry to get Lamb's deal done first. The longer the team waits, the more they assume the risk that Jefferson will earn a new contract and that he will set the standard for Lamb's compensation. The Cowboys often don't realize that the cost of keeping a star player never goes down, it always goes up. Holding their nose and cutting them a check will actually save you money in the long run.
Parsons is the last player to get a new contract simply because he is the furthest away from free agency. The All-Pro defender has two years left on his contract, but is now eligible to negotiate an extension. It may seem like teams have time to get things done, but as we've seen with the Joneses, they move at a snail's pace when it comes to big contracts.
Without a doubt, Parsons' contract is expected to be record-breaking. The pass rusher could be on his way to becoming one of, if not the, highest-paid defensive players in the NFL.
The Cowboys already have a fifth-year option on the 2021 No. 12 overall pick's rookie contract, but the goal is to keep Parsons in Dallas for a long time. For that to happen, the Cowboys have to be willing to open their checkbook and hand Parsons a lot of money. For Stephen Jones, in his role as lead negotiator, this is no easy task.
It's unlikely that the organization will complete all three of their superstar contract extensions in one offseason, but they will have two contract extensions on the books and at least one completed before becoming a free agent before joining the team. It was hoped that it would provide growth potential. List. That didn't happen and the Cowboys are currently sitting idle while other teams get better.
It's been more than two months since the Cowboys were humiliated at home in the playoffs, and they followed suit with a silly offseason appearance. Sadly, this is the same way the Cowboys have been in recent years when they have had to make tough decisions regarding contracts.
No deal has been reached, and there appears to be no prospect of a deal with any of Dallas' Big Three.
Which Cowboys superstar do you think will get an extension next? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.
