Dallas Cowboys, latest on impending contract extensions for Dak Prescott, Lamb, Parsons – John Machota and Saad Yusuf, The Athletic
The Dallas Cowboys have expressed interest in extending three star players that could reset the market.
Of the three big contracts the Cowboys have, how would you rank them in terms of importance?
Machota: Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, and CeeDee Lamb. Prescott is the team's leader and plays the most important position. The NFL doesn't have enough franchise quarterbacks. His contract will take up the most salary cap space. Parsons is an absolute game changer defensively. Some would argue that drafting him was the biggest reason why Dallas won 12 games in the regular season for three years in a row. Lamb has become one of the NFL's elite wide receivers and deserves to be paid as well. However, even though he is one of the highest paid wide receivers, it doesn't make much sense to use a player who doesn't know who will get him the ball. And that's another reason why signing Prescott is so high on this list. To maximize Lamb's value, the Cowboys need to acquire a quality starting quarterback.
Yusuf: If one of the players in the group is a franchise quarterback, its importance is always at the top of the list. Prescott gives the Cowboys a sense of security. He has a strong presence as a leader in the locker room and is a regular season top 10 quarterback on the field. Whether it's the front office or the fan base, Prescott is the type of player who can talk about himself like this. of Despite the postseason shortcomings of the past decade or so.
The situation with Lamb and Parsons is a little more nuanced. Both are among the best players at their respective positions and are elite first-round picks by the Cowboys. But, as mentioned above, Lamb plays a position that relies on his surroundings, especially the quarterback. He has a good relationship with Prescott, but if Prescott has a problem, it spills over to Ram. Lamb's talent is undisputed, but his chemistry with quarterbacks other than Prescott is a mystery.
In a league where the quarterback position is the most important, putting pressure on the quarterback is also very important. Few do it better than Parsons. For me, the main reason his extension falls to No. 3 is because of the time Parsons has left on his rookie contract, as he still has two years left on his rookie contract.
Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott's Draft Weapons in Proof Year in NFL Mock – Adam Schultz, Sports Illustrated
In a new mock draft, the Dallas Cowboys have selected LSU's Brian Thomas Jr. as their pass-catching weapon.
With the departures of Tyron Smith (Jets) and Tyler Biadasz (Commanders), offensive line is Dallas' biggest need in the draft. But for NFL.com's Eric Edholm, in his latest mock draft, the Cowboys don't get better protection than Dak, but rather take LSU's Brian Thomas Jr. instead of Michael Gallup. become.
“The Cowboys don't have a ton of extra picks, but surprisingly Thomas is still on the roster at this point and I could see them being active,” Eholm wrote. ing. “Dallas really needs to add a pass-catching threat and may have to trade up to make sure they land a threat like this LSU product. He's an explosive talent and CeeDee It will protect Lamb from so many deceptive reports.”
Thomas Jr. could easily be seen as Gallup's replacement. The six-year veteran had a career-low 418 receiving yards and just two touchdowns on his 34 receptions, leading to the team's decision to end their partnership. This leaves another hole on offense that Thomas Jr. could fill.
There's a good chance Thomas Jr. will put up Gallup numbers in his first role in Mike McCarthy's offense at a significantly lower cost. Last season at LSU, Thomas Jr. had 68 receptions, 1,177 yards and a whopping 17 touchdowns while linking up with Jaden Daniels.
Buffalo Bills sign former Dallas Cowboys player La'el Collins – Details – Zach Dimmitt, Sports Illustrated
OT La'el Collins returned to the Cowboys' practice squad, but didn't last long as the Bills signed him to a one-year deal.
The Bills have signed former Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle La'el Collins to a one-year contract, according to multiple reports. Buffalo has now added reinforcements to its offensive line, which was one of the healthiest units in the league last season despite losing center Mitch Morse to free agency.
“Source: For La'el Collins and the Bills, this is a one-year deal worth up to $6.25 million,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweeted. “Collins had at least one other suitor, but he chose Buffalo with hopes of winning a Super Bowl.”
If Collins earns a starting role, he could potentially guard Josh Allen's right side while Dion Dawkins still commands the blind side at left tackle after signing a three-year, $60.6 million extension last month. . The Bills also have offensive tackle Spencer Brown, but Collins has plenty of experience, having started 86 of his 89 games.
NFL Super Bowl candidates ranked after Bills trade Stefon Diggs to Texans – Christopher Knox, Bleacher Report
The Dallas Cowboys are ranked 10th as a Super Bowl contender after the Texans traded for Stefon Diggs.
The Dallas Cowboys haven't made many moves this offseason, but consistency remains their strength. Dallas has won 12 games in each of the last three seasons, and as long as the team is doing well, they have a chance.
The Cowboys' roster may not be truly elite, but they do have Pro Bowl-level players at several key positions. That includes quarterback Dak Prescott, cornerback Trevon Diggs, receiver CeeDee Lamb, pass rusher Micah Parsons, tight end Jake Ferguson and guard Zach Martin.
The roster hasn't improved in 2024, but the core remains strong. Outside of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys shouldn't face much competition in the division either. The New York Giants and Washington Commanders were among the league's worst teams in 2023.
But with head coach Mike McCarthy not leading the Cowboys past the divisional round and facing potential upset this season, it's hard to rank the Cowboys any higher.
