Monday and Tuesday were buzzing with excitement and relief at The Star, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The organization and its fans received a significant boost with the signing of the 2023 All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a four-year, $136 million extension. Lamb's new deal ends his holdout, ensuring that one of the NFL's top wide receivers will continue to don the Cowboys' star for the foreseeable future.
With Lamb’s contract situation resolved, attention now shifts to another pivotal figure in the Cowboys' offensive lineup: quarterback Dak Prescott. Entering the final year of his contract in 2024, Prescott is poised to become one of the biggest storylines of the season.
Prescott's Impressive 2023 Season
Under Prescott's leadership, the Cowboys' offense flourished last season. He led the NFL with 36 passing touchdowns in 2023, cementing his status as one of the league's elite quarterbacks. As the team gears up for the new season, owner Jerry Jones has emphasized the importance of the upcoming season opener against the Cleveland Browns. “We’re continuing to, first of all, put all of our focus on what’s coming up here in the next 10 days, two weeks. That game takes priority over anything,” Jones remarked.
Contract Considerations and Future Projections
Prescott's current contract includes both a no-franchise tag and a no-trade clause, adding layers to the negotiations. Should the Cowboys fail to reach an extension, Prescott would hit the open market by March 2025. The team's current quarterback roster, featuring Cooper Rush and Trey Lance, also lacks a contracted player for the 2025 season, making Prescott’s potential departure even more significant.
Financial considerations loom large in these negotiations. With players like Trevor Lawrence, Jared Goff, and Jordan Love securing contracts averaging $55 million per year, the market for elite quarterbacks has set a high bar. The Cowboys have $39.6 million in effective cap space for 2025, a figure that jumps to a projected $160.1 million in 2026. However, managing an NFL roster under salary cap restrictions is a complex endeavor with inherent risks. “You’ve always got to remind everybody that this is a zero-sum game. Any dollar one player gets is a dollar another one doesn’t get,” Jones noted, highlighting the financial balancing act the Cowboys must navigate.
Team Dynamics and Leadership
Within the team, there's optimism that a deal will be reached to keep Prescott in Dallas. CeeDee Lamb voiced his confidence, stating, “You look at our numbers together, they're at the top of the charts. I have no doubt that they're going to get a deal done. We all know that I want Dak here. Jerry [Jones] wants Dak here, too, so let's just get this under control and kill the speculation and let's go win.”
For his part, Prescott remains focused on football while his agent, Todd France, handles the negotiations. “There’ve been conversations back and forth, but for the most part, as y’all know, I let my agent handle that, especially as we get right here into training camp,” Prescott shared. His trust in the process and focus on the game are evident as he added, “The money and all that will take care of itself as it always has.”
The Path Ahead
As the Cowboys navigate these contract negotiations, the overarching goal remains clear: putting together a winning team under the salary cap's constraints. “If you can get the most and the best players out there for the least amount of the cap, you’re doing your very best job,” Jerry Jones asserted. However, he also acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with such decisions, saying, “Sometimes it’s worked out really well. Sometimes taking those risks will bite you.”
The signing of CeeDee Lamb marks a crucial step forward for the Cowboys, but the journey to secure their quarterback of the future continues. As the new season approaches, the focus remains on the field—and the task of building a championship-worthy roster under the cap pressures.