NFL analyst believes Jerry Jones’ blueprint is out of the bag - “That’s the cheat code”
Jerry Jones has been an NFL general manager for decades. Almost like a quarterback, general managers have to keep their players guessing. Once a player figures out how to push a general manager's buttons, it becomes easy to maximize their comfort to the detriment of the team.
One NFL analyst believes every Dallas Cowboys player knows how to extract the maximum amount of money from Jones. Speaking on Tuesday's edition of "Get Up," analyst Kevin Clark claimed the players "know how to play hardball."
"The problem is the Cowboys lose every contract staredown," Clark said. "Every single one, the player ends up winning. They know that. So they know how to play hardball.
"Ezekiel Elliott just went and worked out in Cabo for a couple of months and got all the money he asked. That's the cheat code. And so they know what to do and they can run all over the Cowboys."
Over time, too many expensive players can sink any franchise. This can happen due to hamstringing their ability to get new players but also as the players age, the return on their investment shrinks over time.
Eventually, an overpaid player could earn like a star but perform like a bubble player. If Jerry Jones and other general managers are not careful, this can happen to their team.
Jerry Jones continues procrastination amid rising pressure
Jerry Jones knew from the moment he signed Dak Prescott's second long-term contract that he was highly likely to be faced with an extension in a few years.
During that time, he watched his quarterback continue to bring the franchise to the top of the rankings in the regular season. However, he now faces a need from the quarterback in return.
Instead of paying Dak Prescott, he chose to hold out, despite almost every analyst urging Jones to take negotiations forward. However, the team's quarterback is not the only one who has been waiting for answers.
CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, arguably two of the three most important parts of the team, continue to wait for an extension. Lamb is in the midst of a holdout and Parsons is only getting the message that his extension won't be any time soon.
Lamb and Prescott's contracts expire at the end of the season. Micah Parsons' deal expires at the end of 2025.
Will Jerry Jones wait until the last possible moment to begin negotiations as if it were a college student's term paper?
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Get Up" and H/T Sportskeeda.