Cowboys' Stephen Jones: 'Challenge to Keep Everybody' amid Dak, Lamb Contract Rumors

Dallas Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones discussed the challenges involved with signing players to long-term contract extensions given the robust deals the organization has handed out in recent years.

Speaking to Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel on The Athletic's Scoop City podcast, Jones said:

"When you start stacking them up like that, you know, it's a challenge. It's not that it's not doable, but you certainly got to have some give and take if you want to do that. I know the [Minnesota] Vikings there with [Justin] Jefferson when they made that inordinate deal at the receiver spot. You know, they don't have one player on their team other than Jefferson making over $20 million.

"And, of course, we've got a big one in Dak [Prescott]. And we got [Trevon] Diggs right there. And then you got Zack Martin and [DeMarcus Lawrence]. And so we got a lot of guys making you know quite a bit of money. And you know that's no excuses. We think we can get this done, know we can get it done. But it just takes time."

Jones seemed to be primarily referencing the looming need to sign superstar wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to a new deal since he is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2024, but the Cowboys also have a decision to make on their star quarterback in Prescott, who is also entering the final year of his deal.

To Jones' point, the Cowboys have been busy over the past couple of years in terms of locking key players into contracts.

Dallas signed Lawrence to a three-year, $40 million extension in 2022 and last year signed Diggs to a five-year, $97 million extension and locked offensive tackle Terence Steele into a three-year $86.8 million extension.

The Cowboys even reworked Martin's deal last year, signing him to a two-year, $36.85 million contract.

While some important tent poles are in place for the foreseeable future, that may not matter if the Cowboys are unable to get new deals done with Lamb and Prescott.

Lamb, 25, has developed into one of the league's top wideouts since Dallas selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Over four NFL seasons, Lamb is a three-time Pro Bowler, and he was named a First Team All-Pro for the first time last season when he set career highs with 135 receptions for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The Vikings reset the wide receiver market by signing Jefferson to a four-year, $140 million extension last month, and Lamb figures to garner something close to that.

Prescott is also coming off a career year, as the soon-to-be 31-year-old veteran completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 4,516 yards, a league-leading 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Dak was named a Pro Bowler and Second Team All-Pro as a result, and he finished second in the NFL MVP voting behind only Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Prescott is nearing the end of the four-year, $160 million deal he signed in 2021, and while he has delivered during the regular season with three consecutive playoff berths and NFC East titles in two of the past three years, playoff success has eluded the Cowboys.

Dallas has just one playoff win over the past three campaigns, and it was shocked by the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers in a home NFC Wild Card Round playoff game last season.

Given that Lamb is set to hit free agency for the first time, the Cowboys have the option of placing the franchise tag on him and kicking the can down the road when it comes to a long-term deal.

As for Prescott, he is primed to be one of the most significant and sought after free-agent quarterbacks in NFL history if he and the Cowboys don't come to terms on a new deal by next offseason.