With the Dallas Cowboys on the brink of their 2024 NFL regular season opener against the Cleveland Browns, the spotlight is firmly fixed on two key contract situations. Both First Team All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and Second Team All-Pro quarterback Dak Prescott are entering the final year of their respective deals, creating a complex backdrop as the season draws near.
The CeeDee Lamb Situation
CeeDee Lamb, at just 25 years old, has quickly become one of the premier wide receivers in the league. Last season, he led the NFL with 135 catches, a testament to his elite status and importance to the Cowboys’ offensive scheme. Despite his undeniable talent, Lamb has held out of Dallas’ entire offseason program, making his contract situation the top priority for the Cowboys' front office.
The Cowboys have extended an offer to Lamb "slightly under $33 million per season," a figure that is highly competitive in today’s market for elite wide receivers. In comparison, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown’s average annual salary is $32 million, and Justin Jefferson recently signed a four-year, $140 million extension with the Minnesota Vikings, which includes $110 million guaranteed.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has appeared optimistic despite the tense negotiations. "We're in good shape there. We're having good talks. I think I am," Jones mentioned, indicating a hopeful outlook for a resolution. He added, "The facts are that I believe we'll come together. I don't want to speak for him. That's what I'm trying not to do. But we wouldn't have offered him what we've offered him if we didn't want him to be here."
Prescott's Uncertain Future
Dak Prescott, entering the final season of a four-year, $160 million contract, faces a delicate situation of his own. Prescott’s deal includes no-franchise-tag and no-trade clauses, giving him considerable leverage as he approaches unrestricted free agency next offseason if a new contract isn’t reached. Having turned 31 this offseason, Prescott’s performance and future with the Cowboys will be under extensive scrutiny.
Jones has indicated that discussions are ongoing but not immediate, given the timing within the season. "Well again, we're just continuing to talk," Jones remarked, underscoring that negotiations are active but not pressing against the team’s short-term goals. He elaborated on the philosophy behind managing contract talks during the season, "The thing is there, since we're really in-season, practicing, doing all those things, we're operating under the existing contract really good. One of the things that the fans should really understand is that nine times out of ten, these are existing contracts that you have in place. You should be able to operate under those, but we've gotten it now in the NFL -- other teams are dealing with it -- with some time on the contract, you still might have a contract discussion. And that's what we're doing. None of us -- player or team -- want to hurt the preparation or likelihood of playing at your best."
Implications for the Season
The contract situations of Lamb and Prescott place the Cowboys in a precarious but not unprecedented scenario. The NFL landscape is peppered with star players negotiating new deals close to the season or even into the regular season. These negotiations are critical not just for future seasons but for maintaining team chemistry and focus during the current campaign.
The Cowboys’ front office, led by Jones, will need to navigate these talks with a focus on both immediate seasonal performance and long-term stability. Lamb’s holdout has already made ripples in the team's offseason preparations, and any uncertainty regarding Prescott's future could cast a shadow over the team's strategic planning and game-day execution.
For Dallas fans and the football community at large, the unfolding drama provides a riveting subplot to the main event of the 2024 NFL season. The resolutions to these high-stake negotiations will undoubtedly shape not just the Cowboys' fortunes but also impact the broader market dynamics of player salaries and team compositions across the league.