Stephen Jones: it will be a “challenge” to re-sign everybody

The Dallas Cowboys player contract extensions continue to dominate the headlines. From Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb to Micah Parsons, the questions won’t go away until they are answered. On Friday, those questions were being thrown at Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones, and he had some important responses.

While appearing on The Athletic’s “Scoop City” podcast, Jones discussed the deals for all of these players, and even gave insight into their active negotiations with Prescott.

While we will get into the specifics on the Prescott negotiation, there was a quote from Jones that should catch everybody’s eye.

https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1814389317755888116

On the subject of contract negotiations, Jones said when you start adding big contracts on top of each other, it’s “a challenge” to keep everybody. Unfortunately for Jones, when you look across the NFL, other teams don’t buy that.

Now more than ever, organizations are finding ways around the salary cap to keep their top guys. So, what will happen if the Cowboys re-signing saga runs amok due to the Cowboys’ not being up to the “challenge” of paying its players?

Soft Rebuild Happening in Dallas?

When the front office is telling fans they might not be able to keep everybody, fans should start preparing for that reality and what it means for the future.

Nobody is saying that the Cowboys re-signing story ending with a few familiar faces leaving will send the team into shambles. However, it sure sounds like Jones may be signaling a continued soft rebuild.

We saw this strategy this offseason as the team’s re-signing period came and went without deals for Tyron Smith, Tony Pollard, Stephon Gilmore, Dorance Armstrong, and many more.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1746696851363971574

That, accompanied by virtually no free agency signings, was a clear attempt to save money, wave goodbye to older players, and moderately compete in 2024.

Now, let’s take Jones at his word and say Dallas struggles to keep everybody going forward.

What will that look like?

For starters, it sure seems like 2024 will be the last year in Dallas for DeMarcus Lawrence. The aging defensive star will hit free agency after this season, and I don’t see the Cowboys re-signing him.

It will cost a lot, and Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams are waiting behind him.

https://twitter.com/davidhelman_/status/1784023624799985802

Essentially, according to Jones, expensive veterans like Lawrence, Brandin Cooks, Malik Hooker, and perhaps even Zack Martin could be casualties of a financial struggle.

Jones Gives an Update on Dak Prescott

As I mentioned, in addition to Jones’ general money discussion, he also gave fans an update on how the Prescott negotiations are going.

Depending on which side you land on the issue, you’ll either be thrilled or pretty upset over it. All indications are now pointing toward a major extension for the quarterback, likely before the season starts.

Outside the podcast interview, Dianna Russini reported that the team is having direct, “positive” conversations with Prescott and his agent, Todd France.

https://twitter.com/DMRussini/status/1814289232938062112

On the podcast, Jones said he was “optimistic” and that they’re “having conversations with his agent, with Dak personally, both Jerry and myself. He knows our goal is to keep him here.”

That’s quite a jump from earlier this spring when prominent reporters were openly saying Prescott was all but certain to head for free agency.

Just a few months later, the two sides are finally collaborating on a potential deal.

As Jones said himself, the goal for them is to keep Dak Prescott, and that alone should cool the temperature within the debates about it.

https://twitter.com/NickHarrisDC/status/1810693546732552582

The Cowboys re-signing Prescott seems like it will get done, and with that, all the talk about a blockbuster trade, drafting Shedeur Sanders or Quinn Ewers, or any other far-reaching scenario, will be put to bed.

Dallas already has a superstar quarterback in-house, and it seems like they will keep him inside the building for at least a couple more years.