FRISCO — 35 years at the helm of an NFL franchise Dallas Cowboys Owner and CEO Jerry Jones has found a common thread in almost all of the important decisions he has had to make.
“There’s a risk in almost everything you do,” Jones said during a press conference on Wednesday. “That’s the nature of the game.”
And it applies to the team’s mindset regarding quarterback Dak Prescott.
Prescott is entering the final season of a lucrative four-year deal he signed in 2021, and he has the option to ask for a longer extension after finishing second in MVP voting last year. That has led to negotiations between the 31-year-old Prescott and the Cowboys, who have both expressed hope of continuing their partnership.
However, with the Cowboys set to begin the regular season at the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8, there is no sign of an impending deal. And when asked about the desire to sign Prescott before the big games begin, Jones said the team’s attention is focused on preparing for playing time this season rather than signing the face of the franchise for years to come.
“We’re all focused on what’s coming up in the next 10 days, two weeks, the opening game, and that takes precedence over anything else,” Jones said. “So we’re really off the top of the important things that we talk about every meeting. … It’s going to stay the way it was.”
Jones added that there is “no indication” that the team will break off negotiations with Prescott’s representatives once the regular season begins.
However, some fans seem concerned about taking a patient approach. During the general hustle and bustle of an NFL season, the Cowboys and Prescott could face additional hurdles in trying to reach an agreement.
And the further Prescott gets into the season without a long-term commitment, the closer he gets to risking offers from other teams that could drive his price up. If not signing Prescott is risky, then Jones is willing to bet on it.
“I’ve felt extreme risk since the day I walked through the doors here,” Jones said. “Sometimes it’s worked out really well. But sometimes taking those risks can be your undoing.”
The Cowboys finalized a long-term deal this week when they signed CeeDee Lamb to a four-year, $136 million contract, making him the second-highest-paid player in franchise history. Prescott’s current deal — four years, $160 million — makes him the highest-paid player in franchise history.
Lamb stayed away from training camp until he signed his new contract, his first negotiated contract in the NFL, but Prescott committed to playing the season. Jones alluded to that when he talked about whether he wanted to sign Prescott before Week 1.
“Lamb wasn’t here,” Jones said. “Dak is here.”
As reporters bombarded him with questions, Jones took the opportunity to praise Prescott, who has been his playmaker since 2016.
“I’m a huge Dak fan,” Jones said. “I probably appreciate his work ethic more than anything else here. … Dak’s situation right now, from my perspective, has more to do with our situation than with Dak Prescott’s merits as quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.”
Here’s the situation: The Cowboys just spent a lot of money on Lamb, and they know that All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons will need a new contract soon. In a league with a fixed salary cap, every dollar spent on one player is unavailable for other players.
Paying three superstars would pose challenges in the NFL, and even in the league, it’s a daunting task to win without a proven quarterback.
And the Cowboys currently don’t have a single playmaker under contract until next season.
“Contracts are not the ultimate solution,” Jones said. “Some of the best decisions I was involved in with the Cowboys were when we didn’t have contracts, whether the player was on our team or another team. So I stopped getting upset about whether someone had a contract or not a long time ago.”
Of course, it’s less risky if a team’s quarterback situation is set for the following year, but it doesn’t seem to affect Jones in any way.
“I don’t even want to say that our personnel decisions represent a risk assessment,” he said. “They are all risky.”
