Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ mentality when it comes to roster management has long been “staying in the middle and picking your shots with risk-taking.” Now, Dallas is entering a period where it’s time to pay top dollar for some of its top homegrown players or move on.
It’s players like two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott (two years remaining on a four-year, $160 million deal); 2022 second-team All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (two years remaining on rookie deal, including a $17.99 million fifth-year option in 2024); two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs (entering final season of rookie deal); and two-time first-team All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons (two years remaining on rookie deal) who are awaiting new deals.
“That group, we feel really good about, and I feel as we move forward it will all be about timing,” Cowboys COO and EVP Stephen Jones said Wednesday, via The Athletic. “We feel good that we can work within the parameter of the cap and make those types of things happen. We have to continue to do well in the draft to make things like that happen. We have to continue to have guys step up and play because along the way, if we want to do those [deals], then we’ll have to make some tough decisions in other spots. … We want to work on all of the above, but we’ll just have to see how this thing plays out. You can’t dictate when things happen and the timing. It takes two sides. For them to want to sign up, they’ve got to be happy where it is. And vice versa. But I wouldn’t say just because we don’t get it done by the start of the season doesn’t mean we’re not going to ultimately sign them.”
Lamb and Diggs, Dallas’ first two picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, both voiced their enthusiasm earlier this month for locking down a long-term future with the Silver and Blue.
“I’m very excited,” Lamb said, via The Athletic. “Dallas is somewhere I’ve always wanted to be. I don’t see myself really wearing any other jersey. I don’t really want to get into too much detail on that, but I’m definitely excited for the future.”
“Hopefully something gets figured out,” Diggs said. “I love Dallas. I love being here, so, you know, we’ll see.
Since Diggs was a second-round pick, the fifth-year option wasn’t available for him, but the Cowboys could opt to franchise tag him like they did running back Tony Pollard this offseason. The top of the cornerback contract market in…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CBSSports.com Headlines…