On the floor, CeeDee Lamb’s four-year, $136 million contract extension looks like an enormous win for the Dallas Cowboys.
However after the preliminary fist-pumping and celebratory high-fives, one may notice the Cowboys aren’t out of the woods simply but as a result of quarterback Dak Prescott will command an excellent bigger contract extension than Lamb’s if re-signed, which in flip, may additional complicate hammering out a long-term deal for star edge-rusher Micah Parsons subsequent season as properly.
Spotrac values Prescott’s market worth round $55.1M per season, which is what his 2024 cap hit is, however some in league circles consider he could possibly be the NFL’s first $60M-per-year participant.
Dallas is aware of the longer Prescott goes unsigned, the extra he’s going to value in the long term, which is why the group is reportedly making an attempt to get his deal finished earlier than the beginning of the common season based on ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“They’re going to attempt to get Prescott finished earlier than Week 1 and double down on each these guys and spend a ton of cash,” Fowler stated, via SB Nation. “It’s nonetheless unclear whether or not they can pull this off. Prescott…he’s properly conscious of how properly he can do in free company if he have been to let this experience out, play properly once more, put up an enormous QBR after which be there in March for $60M a yr.”
The Cowboys have a bit over $30M in cap house in 2025 and almost $147M in 2026 as soon as Lamb’s new cash hits the books. There are methods Dallas can signal each Prescott and Parsons subsequent offseason, however it includes getting inventive.
For instance, restructuring deal with Terrence Steele’s deal subsequent yr opens up $9M, reducing security Donovan Wilsons post-June 1 creates $7M in cap house, and lengthening Parsons himself frees up round $16M. Nonetheless, the true conundrum occurs in 2026.
Parsons’ market value is estimated at round $30.6M per yr, and if Prescott indicators for $60M per yr (he additionally counts for $40.13M towards the cap in 2025 if he leaves Dallas), the Cowboys have to determine a method to justify committing almost $124M, or roughly 68% of their cap house to only three gamers.
It may be finished, however then severe questions get raised in regards to the high quality of the group the Cowboys can construct across the trio.
