The Dallas Cowboys went into the offseason needing to find ways to improve their roster while also ensuring that Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb were locked in with the franchise long-term. With the NFL offseason over, it appears Dallas failed to do both.
The Cowboys were inactive in NFL free agency and ignored several big needs in the 2024 NFL Draft, coming out of it with tepid draft grades from analysts. With the roster seemingly worse than it was last season, while a majority of top NFL teams improved, it now appears that efforts to sign Prescott and Lamb to contract extensions aren’t going anywhere.
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- Dak Prescott contract: $55.455 million cap hit in 2024, NFL free agent in 2025
During an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported that negotiations between the Cowboys and Prescott on a contract extension have been ‘passive or even nonexistent’ this offseason.
“But their negotiations so far with Dak have been described to me a passive or even nonexistent, There really hasn’t been anything going on, so their actions are saying that maybe if they have to sit on his $61 million cap hit this year then figure it out later then they’ll do that. They’ve been fiscally responsible not really spending any money, so they know they have to address this at some point in the offseason.”
Jeremy Fowler on contract talks between the Dallas Cowboys, Dak Prescott
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One issue Dallas faces in contract negotiations with Prescott is the amount of leverage he has. The Cowboys gave him both a no-trade clause and a no-tag clause, meaning they can’t move him without his permission nor prevent him from testing NFL free agency. Even more problematic, Prescott’s current real carries a $40.46 million dead cap hit in 2025 whether he’s on the team or not.
With no progress in talks on an extension for Prescott, meaning he could go into the regular season essentially on a one-year deal and play out the contract, the Cowboys’ stance on how they are prioritizing long-term deals could impact Lamb.
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Fowler also shared on SportsCenter that his “sense is they need to figure out the (Dak Prescott) situation first” before they begin prioritizing a contract extension for Lamb.
- CeeDeeLamb contract: $17.991 million salary in 2024, NFL free agent in 2025
The Cowboys aren’t at risk of losing Lamb to NFL free agency, as they do have the franchise tag at their disposal. However, once Justin Jefferson signs a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings, four wide receivers will be making $30-plus million per season with Jefferson and A.J. Brown clearing a $32 million AAV. The longer the Cowboys wait, the more expensive Lamb’s extension will be.
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