Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb still don’t have contract extensions in place days before the Dallas Cowboys training camp begins. Both players have proven to be deserving of top dollar, particularly Lamb, who had a breakout 2023 season.
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The urgency to get their deals done intensifies as the Cowboys ramp up their preparations for the upcoming season. Hence, Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones aired their side regarding the delay while talking to Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel on The Athletic’s ‘Scoop City’ podcast.
Jones understands Cowboy nation’s frustration and assures them that Jones &co will get these contract extensions done. They are also willing to give CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons contracts similar to what Justin Jefferson signed with the Minnesota Vikings as part of the escalating wide receiver market this offseason.
Negotiating top-market contracts takes time because both sides fight for whatever advantage they can get. Jones and the Cowboys primarily consider avoiding salary cap constraints that could impede their ability to sign other key players. Conversely, Lamb and Parsons’s agents are fighting for the payment he deserves based on comparable contracts.
Jones added that conversations with Lamb and Parsons are ongoing even through their 2024 training camp, which will commence on July 24. However, compounding their concerns is the negotiations with quarterback Dak Prescott, whose contract will expire after the 2024 season.
As the COO pointed out, Prescott takes the brunt of the blame for the Cowboys’ playoff struggles. However, he deserves a lucrative contract because of their regular season success with him. Prescott’s camp knows his worth, and they won’t budge, especially after seeing the quarterback market surge last year. Likewise, Prescott has the leverage in contract negotiations after leading the league in completions and touchdown passes last season.
Stephen Jones Reveals Biggest Dilemma in Negotiations with Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb
Jerry Jones’ son expressed willingness to extend their marquee players under contract negotiations. If only it’s that easy because, unlike the Vikings, the Cowboys have more considerations.
Jones cited that besides Jefferson being one of the league’s top wideouts, the Vikings gave him that expensive contract because they didn’t have any other player with a $20 million base salary throughout Jefferson’s contract.
Conversely, the Cowboys face that insurmountable concern because of how well they’ve drafted over the years. They scored big in drafting Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons in 2016, 2020, and 2021. The haul doesn’t stop there because they found Zack Martin, Tyler Smith, DeMarcus Lawrence, and DaRon Bland through the draft.
Therefore, Jones must ensure that their salaries fit within the NFL’s specified limit. With several players deserving of massive contracts, the Cowboys’ front office must fight for every dollar to keep everyone under the cap limit.
Stephen Jones expressed confidence that they would complete the deals with Lamb, Parsons, and Prescott. But if they were to prioritize players they’ll negotiate with, Parsons might be the odd man out because he has two years left in Dallas after the Cowboys exercised his fifth-year option.
