Jerry Jones isn’t upset that the Dallas Cowboys haven’t signed Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb or Micah Parsons to long-term extensions this offseason.
In fact, he’s taking all of the blame for the lack of movement.
“If you’ve got trouble with when the timing is around here, it’s because I’m not ready to go,” Jones said Tuesday, via ESPN.
The Cowboys have been largely quiet this offseason despite their three biggest stars all nearing the end of their current deals. Prescott’s contract with the team ends after next season, and Lamb will play on a fifth-year option this fall. Parsons has two years left on his rookie deal before he’s eligible for the franchise tag.
Though some are more pressing than others, Prescott said he’s not made much progress at all with his contract negotiations. But Jones, in a way that only he could, insists that he’s working constantly on these deals.
“You may be working on [contracts] and not moving anything but your eyebrows,” Jones said. “Who in the world would think that we’re not working on it? I work on it. It pops up at 2 in the morning sometimes.
“What you’re actually questioning is why don’t you have something done and negotiated and put in the drawer? Well, we’d like to see some more leaves fall. We’d like to see some more action.”
Prescott threw for 4,516 yards and a career-high 36 touchdowns last season, his eighth in the league. He’s entering the final year of a four-year, $160 million deal this fall. Prescott has said he’s not worried about the pace of his deal, and that he’s not “necessarily” trying to be the highest paid quarterback in the league. Currently, Prescott is tied for the 10th highest in the league, about $15 million per season behind Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe burrow.
Lamb racked up 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns on 135 catches last season, all of which were career highs. The 25-year-old is set to play on the fifth-year option of his initial rookie contract with the team. Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill is currently the highest-paid in his position in the league at $30 million per year.
Parsons is entering his fourth season in the league this fall, so he has more time than the other two to get his extension done. Still, the Cowboys will almost certainly come close to having the highest-paid quarterback, wide receiver and defensive player in the league when it’s all said and done.
It’s unclear when any of these deals will be signed, or what they will end up looking like. The market for these players, especially at quarterback, has skyrocketed in recent years. By putting the deals off, Jones could end up costing himself more in the long run.
But, he said, “sometimes timing keeps you from making a mistake.”
“If you’re asking me do I worry about things going up? Not worry, but I probably have as good a feel as anybody living on this earth what the cap is going to be three years from now, four years from now, five years from now,” Jones said. “I really do. We’ve got exceptional insight into where the cap is going to be more so than a lot of people.”
