The Dallas Cowboys have always had some of the most intriguing storylines in the NFL, but heading into 2024, it’s nearly difficult to anticipate what Jerry Jones and company have in store.
If you listen to Jones, he’s maintaining to his declaration that Dallas is “all in” for 2024, with the objective of eventually making the playoffs and securing another Lombardi Trophy.
After the Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs early, this rationale made sense. They had a squad stocked with talent on both sides of the field, and its franchise quarterback, Dak Prescott, was in the MVP debate for most of the year, finishing 2023 with one of his greatest statistical seasons as a pro. The Dallas Cowboys were unbeaten at home and entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed.
But, as everybody with a pulse has come to anticipate, Dallas choked in the first round of the playoffs, losing to a youthful Green Bay Packers squad that barely made the postseason.
There was speculation that Jerry Jones might make substantial moves following the loss, but he did not. He kept head coach Mike McCarthy until 2024 and made it obvious that Prescott will be the team’s quarterback going forward.
Almost every NFL Insider projected that the Dallas Cowboys would grant Prescott a contract extension to free up salary space and add new players in free agency, but Jones has done nothing and is allowing Dak Prescott to finish out his contract.
However, there are uncertainties about the fate of the Cowboys’ other two star players, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons.
The franchise has yet to reach an agreement with any player on a contract extension, but it is expected that Lamb will sign a new deal with the Cowboys before the start of the 2024 season.
CeeDee Lamb is coming off a first-team All-Pro season and has only one year remaining on his rookie contract. He has established himself as an outstanding receiver, which is why Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes the Dallas Cowboys will make him one of, if not the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.
“Among the top receivers on the market, Lamb appears to be the least likely to be on the move…” A contract paying him $31 million per year qualifies, and the Cowboys have the future cap room to make it possible. He surely earned it after making his first All-Pro appearance in 2023. On April 6, Ballentine predicted that Lamb will sign a five-year, $155 million extension this summer.
In 2021, Dak Prescott agreed to a four-year, $160 million contract. On Friday, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback revealed his hopes for contract negotiations in 2025.
“I am not necessarily wanting to be the highest paid. We’ll wait until discussions start, and I certainly want to put this club in the best possible circumstances,” Prescott said.
Prescott is now the NFL’s 10th highest-paid quarterback. Prescott had a great 2023 season, leading the NFL in touchdown passes (36) and passing completions (410). Nonetheless, the former Mississippi State standout failed to lead his club to victory in the NFL Playoffs’ Wildcard Round.
It has been widely rumored that the Dallas Cowboys are considering letting Prescott play out the final year of his contract before beginning discussions, and on Friday, the franchise quarterback appeared to agree.
“Honestly, I’m focusing on the moment right now. Sure, we can talk about it when the conversations begin and the genuine talks start. But in this situation, I’m focused on getting better right now, and I’ll leave everything to my agency and Jerry, but when those negotiations start, I’ll obviously be more active.”
Nonetheless, Prescott underlined that he and Jerry Jones are on the same page when it comes to the here and now.
“I’ve spoken with Jerry, and I clearly understand where we are, and Jerry has stated the same, so there is no gray area. We had a terrific meeting that connected us with where we are right now, and we will address moving forward as soon as that happens.”
But then Prescott made a declaration regarding his future in Dallas that was unlike anything we’d heard thus far in his tenure as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback.
“I’m not going to say I fear being here or not, I don’t fear either situation to be candid with you,” he remarked. “I adore this game, like playing it, and strive to improve myself and people around me. Right now, it’s with the Dallas Cowboys, and that’s where I want to be, where I am, and where my attention is focused. And after the season, we’ll see where we are and what the future holds. If not, we’ll proceed from there.”
This is the first time Prescott has spoken publicly about a prospective career outside of Dallas. It may not seem like a big thing today, but depending on how the 2024 season unfolds, it might become a major topic.
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