Cowboys legend says Jerry Jones is "screwed" as Dallas pushes against salary cap with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb deals pending
Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, finds himself in a very tough situation. Three key players on the team, i.e., Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons, are looking for contract extensions, but based on the franchise's salary cap situation, it will be hard for the Cowboys to keep all of them on the team.
Former Cowboys defensive end Charles Haley recently talked about the team's financial situation, and he believes that Jerry Jones 'is screwed'. Haley said that the Cowboys owner has gambled for a long time, and the bill is now finally due. In an appearance on the Up and Adams Show, he said:
"Jerry Jones kept backloading everything, so now he's screwed. So, now the bill came due and he doesn't have the money to be able to do that. So, what he's gonna have to do is find another way around the salary cap or push a lot of older guys' salary way back.
"Then you don't know whether these guys can play one year or two years and then all of it comes due again. So, he played, he gambled a long time, and now time is up..."
As per Spotrac, the Dallas Cowboys currently have $10.08 million in cap space and will have close to $67.5 million in cap space next year. However, Dak Prescott is set to become a free agent after this season, and it was reported that the veteran quarterback will seek close to $60 million annually in his new deal.
It doesn't seem like Prescott will get that amount from any team, but the Cowboys will be required to pay around $55 million annually to retain their quarterback. If the franchise offers him that deal, then it would become very hard for Jerry Jones to keep Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb, as both of them are seeking top-of-the-market deals.
As Haley said, the Cowboys owner is truly screwed, and it will be interesting to see what the franchise's front office ends up doing.
Which players should Jerry Jones prioritize to keep?
As mentioned earlier, it will be quite hard for Jerry Jones to keep the star trio of Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb together. Lamb is unlikely to agree on a deal below the $30–32 million annual salary mark, and Parsons will undoubtedly look to become the highest-paid defensive player in the league. Currently, Nick Bosa is the highest-paid defensive player in the league, and his annual salary is $34 million.
Parsons is currently 25 years old and is viewed as a generational talent, so parting ways with him won't make sense for the franchise. Lamb, on the other hand, is coming off the best year of his career and has proved that he can be a top-three wide receiver in the league.
Dak Prescott remains the likeliest player to leave the Cowboys due to his shortcomings in big games over the course of his career, as well as the amount of money that he will be looking for in free agency.
It will be tough for the Cowboys to replace a leader like Prescott, but if Trey Lance shines in the preseason, then there is a huge possibility that Jerry Jones won't be hesitant to start over with a new quarterback and keep the other star players on the team.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Up & Adams Show and H/T Sportskeeda.