Dallas EVP Stephen Jones "optimistic" Dak deal can get done; Is it all fluff?

The Dallas Cowboys have waited until the very last moment before signing their star players to long-term contract extensions. Now, the team is beginning to feel the weight.

Unfortunately for Dallas, the quarterback and wide receiver market exploded just as Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are heading into the final year of their contract. Along with linebacker Micah Parsons, who became eligible for a contract extension this offseason, Dallas has struggled to balance their talent with their salary cap restrictions.

Lamb is continuing his hold out from the team's offseason program, but Prescott is entering the final year of a contract that features a no-trade clause and forbids the Cowboys from using a franchise tag designation on him. There are only two possible outcomes for Dallas. They can either sign Presott to a long-term deal before the 2024 season or allow him to play out the season and hit the open market in free agency next offseason.

Stephen Jones shares insight on Cowboys' plans for Dak Prescott

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones discussed the team's contractual plans during an interview with The Athletic NFL insider Dianna Russini and longtime NFL quarterback Chase Daniel on "Scoop City."

Jones expressed optimism regarding Prescott's contract, but continuously brought up the difficulties of keeping Prescott, Parsons, and Lamb.

"We are optimistic we can get these guys done," Jones said. "Our goal is to get [Dak's contract] done. He knows that, we're having conversations with his agent, with Dak personally, both Jerry and myself. He knows our goal is to keep him here. He also understands the challenges and what happens to teams when you do have these high-priced quarterbacks. At some point, it's a challenge to keep everybody. ... You have to make some tough choices along the way, but we're optimistic that we can do that. We'll continue to grind away on that."

Jones used the Kansas City Chiefs as an example of a team with a highly paid quarterback who couldn't afford to keep all of their star players. It's not the best example Jones could have used. The Chiefs couldn't afford to keep wide receiver Tyreek Hill, but they still managed to sign defensive tackle Chris Jones and retain tight end Travis Kelce. Perhaps the most glaring difference is that Kansas City has managed to win three Super Bowl titles in the last five years, while Dallas has only won one playoff game in the same span.

"Well, those things take time," Jones said. "And when you're talking CeeDee or ... Micah, you're talking about two players that aren't quarterbacks that ought to be a little bit like [Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin] Jefferson, the top-paid non-quarterbacks in the league. And then obviously you have Dak, his resume speaks for itself. He was second in MVP voting last year, he's just had an extraordinary career here in Dallas. Those things just take time when you're talking about the amount of money involved."

The Cowboys could have signed Lamb or Prescott to a cheaper contract if they had locked them into long-term deals before this offseason. The wide receiver market exploded this offseason, led by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson becoming the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

Lamb is due approximately $17.9 million in 2024 under the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, which is significantly below the $30 million per year he could command with a new deal. Three wideouts — Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson ($35 million), Philadelphia Eagles' A.J. Brown ($32 million) and Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30 million) — eclipsed that figure this offseason.

"And of course, we're trying a little bit to play Houdini in how to keep all these guys around Dak, and keep all these players we were fortunate enough to draft," Jones continued. "And when you start stacking them up like that, it's a challenge. It's not that it's not doable, but you certainly have to have some give and take. I know the Vikings there with Jefferson when they made that inordinate deal at the receiver spot, they don't have one player on their team other than Jefferson making over $20 million. We got a big one in Dak, we got Diggs right there, and then you got Zack Martin, [Dermarcus Lawrence]. It's no excuses, we know we can get it done, but it just takes time."

Prescott rebounded from a tough 2022 campaign and put together a season that earned him second-team All-Pro honors. In 2023, he led the league in completion percentage (69.5) and touchdown passes (36) while posting career highs in passing yards (4,516) and passer rating (105.9). Prescott earned second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career, and finished in second for NFL MVP voting behind Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.

Lamb’s contract extension will be exponentially more expensive after his first-team All-Pro season in 2023. Lamb notched a league-high 135 receptions for 1,749 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in the regular season. The production is hardly a surprise — Lamb has set new career-highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns every year of his career.