Mike McCarthy Fallout: Failed Negotiations, Cowboys Candidates, McCarthy Suitors
The Mike McCarthy era in Dallas finally came to an end today, as the team announced that they wouldn’t be re-signing their head coach. With McCarthy’s contract set to expire tomorrow, the two sides were reportedly negotiating the terms of a new deal. However, it sounds like true contract talks never took place.
[RELATED: Cowboys Considering Deion Sanders For Head Coaching Job]
In a statement, owner Jerry Jones clearly stated that he made the determination to move on from McCarthy before any contract talks could commence.
“Over the past week, Mike [McCarthy] and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover. Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”
While Jones’ statement was pretty clear, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero slightly pushes back at the notion that the two sides never discussed a new contract. Pelissero somewhat points to semantics, noting that “contract negotiations” would signal a definitive exchange of proposals (vs. the informal “talks”). Either way, the reporter believes the two sides did indeed discuss a path forward but ultimately couldn’t agree on contract length.
It didn’t take long for the Cowboys to start preparing for their impending head coaching search. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the team’s decision makers took part in “inclusive hiring training” this afternoon, only hours after news broke of the McCarthy divorce. Soon, we’ll start hearing of some definitive candidates, but the rumor mill is already churning with potential names. Deion Sanders has already been linked to the Cowboys, and there are some initial rumblings surrounding other big names.
Predictably, the biggest name on the market will be connected to the offseason’s biggest vacancy. Sources told Jonathan Jones that Bill Belichick could be towards the top of the organization’s list of candidates, and sources also told the reporter that the iconic HC would have interest in the Dallas gig if it became available. While Belichick’s UNC contract includes a $10MM buyout, sources believe that penalty wouldn’t stop owners from pursuing the future Hall of Famer. Still, many reporters (including Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com) are skeptical that Jones would be willing to pay for a buyout…a relevant note in their potential pursuits of Belichick and Sanders.
Jonathan Jones also suggests that the Cowboys could look to the college ranks for another candidate: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. The long-time college coach has never held the HC role in the NFL, although he did have a stint as the Falcons offensive coordinator. Sarkisian would also require a buyout. Among current NFL coaches, two popular names are also expected to be on the team’s list of candidates. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Eagles OC Kellen Moore is a name to watch. Moore, of course, finished his playing career with the Cowboys before moving to the sideline, where he worked his way up from QBs coach to offensive coordinator.
The Cowboys will presumably also have interest in Lions Ben Johnson, but the team missed their window to interview the popular HC candidate. As Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes, the Cowboys will now have to wait until Detroit is knocked out of the playoffs until they can talk to Johnson about their vacancy. Fortunately, Jonathan Jones notes that Johnson shut down communication with teams following the first round of interviews, as the coordinator is now solely focused on Detroit’s playoff run. So, if the Cowboys do truly have interest in Johnson, it shouldn’t take a whole lot for the team to make up ground on their competition.
As for McCarthy, the veteran head coach has reportedly already scheduled an interview with the Bears, and NFL Network’s Jane Slater says Chicago’s interest is “very real.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Saints are also expected to show interest in McCarthy; New Orleans was listed as a potential landing spot for the coach before his ouster in Dallas.
The rest of McCarthy’s staff is also free to speak with teams starting today, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Practically the entire Cowboys staff had expiring contracts, and Slater notes that there were some assistants who grew tired of the lack of uncertainty over their futures. It sounds like that includes Mike Zimmer, as the defensive coordinator has contemplated retirement, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Zimmer just joined the Cowboys last offseason, and it was believed that his status with the organization would be tied to McCarthy’s status.
Cowboys, Mike McCarthy Continuing Conversations; Delays Could Prove Costly
JANUARY 9: McCarthy is viewed as more likely to stay in Dallas than move on, according to some close to the situation (via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). The former Super Bowl winner could push his way to the market by not agreeing to a deal, but for now, it does not appear the Cowboys are keen on merely letting their five-year HC walk.
JANUARY 8: The situation in Dallas continues to be fairly tenuous. After early reports indicated that Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones was undecided about keeping head coach Mike McCarthy in his current role, the newest intel from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport indicates that the two sides want to continue working together, they just need to find an agreement that works. 
McCarthy’s contract expires on January 14, making it an easy decision to cut off communication for two weeks if either side wishes to opt out. Instead, Rapoport points to a number of supporting factors like the fact that the two sides are in constant communication or that Jones denied the Bears permission to interview McCarthy. Rapoport does note his opinion that the Bears denial was a performative gesture, acknowledging McCarthy’s leverage in the negotiations.
Per Rapoport, the sides appear to want to work something out. He believes that it’s just a matter of figuring out the right length and compensation in the contract, though those talks have yet to begin. The remaining discussions to be had will center around everyone’s continuing role and what things will look like moving forward, as the status quo has certainly led to disappointment.
This delay and back-and-forth of performative gestures may serve both Jones and McCarthy as they seek the best terms for themselves, but ultimately, it could prove damaging to the Cowboys organization as a whole. While McCarthy is still under contract for a little less than a week, Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS points out that the team’s assistant coaches are officially free agents. The employees can continue working alongside McCarthy and continue being paid as at-will employees, but they are out of the office until Monday, and their phone lines are open.
Per Hill, those phones are ringing. Hill reported that candidates who are being interviewed for open head coaching positions have already started reaching out to Dallas’ assistants about joining their prospective staffs. As Jones and McCarthy continue to flirt with the idea of a new contract, their assistants may be slipping out from beneath them for other, more solid opportunities.
NFC Coaching Rumors: Cowboys, Vrabel, Johnson
After failing to make it past the Divisional Round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year as Cowboys head coach, Mike McCarthy entered the 2024 NFL season on a bit of a hot seat. Often that type of pressure comes externally from a disgruntled fan base or media criticism, but the fact that nearly the entire coaching staff, including McCarthy, was playing on the final year of their contracts didn’t help.
McCarthy is known for coaching playoff teams. In 13 years with the Packers, McCarthy took the team to the playoffs nine times. Green Bay did make it to four NFC Championship Games under McCarthy, advancing to (and winning) only one Super Bowl. In Dallas, McCarthy has seen similar regular season success followed by postseason struggles. After a 6-10 debut season with the Cowboys, McCarthy led the team to the playoffs with three straight 12-5 seasons. In those three postseason appearances, McCarthy’s squad has only won one game, failing to make any NFC Championship Game appearances.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones doesn’t believe the staff’s lame duck status was a distraction during a tumultuous 2024 campaign. In fact, Jones believes “people do better…when they don’t have a contract.” So far, Jones has been noncommittal on the future of McCarthy and his staff. He claimed in a recent interview that he doesn’t feel that he’s “under any unusual time frame at all.”
Jones doesn’t seem to have made much of an indication at all hinting at whether or not he sees McCarthy returning, and at the moment, he doesn’t appear to be in any hurry to make such a decision.
Here are a few other coaching rumors coming out of the NFC:
- In an interview on the Rich Eisen Show, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer tabbed Browns coaching and personnel consultant Mike Vrabel as a name to watch for the Giants‘ likely opening head coaching position. After his first head coaching stint with the Titans came to an end, Vrabel was unable to secure another gig, settling at the time for a minor role in Cleveland. Breer believes that New York has an advantage in securing Vrabel’s services, thinking that Vrabel’s likely picks for general manager (Ryan Cowden) and defensive coordinator (Shane Bowen) are already in house. Cowden was vice president of player personnel (and interim general manager) during Vrabel’s tenure in Tennessee and now serves as executive advisor to the general manager in New York. Fired alongside Vrabel in Tennessee, Bowen went from one defensive coordinator job to the other, coaching the Giants’ unit this season. Though the season is not yet over for Cleveland, head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated that Vrabel’s contract was amended in order “to allow him to get a jumpstart” on interviews, per ESPN’s Tony Grossi.
- In another interview, this one with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Good Morning Football, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was discussed. According to Pelissero, Johnson’s likeliest destination in 2025 remains Chicago. Johnson is looking for a place at which he can build alignment and sustainable, long-term success, similar to what was built in Detroit. So far, all signs seem to be pointing to Johnson taking the intra-divisional job with the Bears, keeping in mind, of course, that him getting hired as head coach of Washington seemed like a sure thing last year before he made the decision to remain with the Lions. With Vrabel and Johnson being established as the two hot names for teams looking for a new skipper this offseason, we’ve seen their names connected to several teams. Breer recently reported a new connection, though, claiming that many see the Jaguars as a good fit for Johnson, should they part ways with Doug Pederson.
Cowboys Rumors: Free Agency, Prescott, McCarthy
The Cowboys’ 2024 campaign has not gone quite according to plan as the team sits at 5-8, fighting for their playoff lives. While some of the blame for this can be cast on injuries, the makeup of the roster has to be taken into account, as well. That means it’ll be up to coaching and team management to make the improvements necessary to turn this team into a playoff squad in 2025.
Many members of the Cowboys’ fanbase were up in arms following an offseason that saw little free agent movement. That lack of movement has, no doubt, contributed in some part to some of the team’s struggles this year. Despite this likelihood, chief operating officer/executive vice president/director of player personnel Stephen Jones, son of owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones, has claimed that this year could see another conservative offseason in the free agent market for the Cowboys, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The younger Jones told the media that free agent spending will be “really tight.” Starters like guard Zack Martin, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence are all in contract years, as are several other key pieces. There are plenty of areas, namely running back, that could use significant investment, as well.
With no commitment to free agent pursuit from ownership, Cowboys fans are going to need to look to the draft and internal development for answers to the team’s current weaknesses.
Here are a couple other rumors out of Dallas:
- According to Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports, quarterback Dak Prescott made a big stride in his recovery earlier this month, driving his vehicle while still walking with the assistance of a brace and crutches. Per Epstein, “Prescott expects his recovery window to conclude before 2025 offseason activities start.” Even with “no hard timeline” and an effort not to rush back, Prescott is hoping to have zero restrictions when the offseason arrives.
- There have been mixed opinions from pundits on the future of head coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas. Many believe he will be fired come season end, while others are under the impression that the senior Jones will retain him. Jones has expressed that he’s open to keeping McCarthy around, but per DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr., Jones has identified a connection with Prescott as a key part of his decision-making. Luckily for McCarthy, Prescott recently endorsed the current head coach, but Jones has made it clear that he wants someone in the job who can get the most out of their franchise quarterback.
Jerry Jones Criticizes Cowboys’ Offensive Scheme
Jerry Jones‘ frustration with the Cowboys’ offense boiled over into public criticism of the team’s scheme under head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
“We’re designing bad plays, or we’re designing bad concepts,” Jones said, per Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS.
The Cowboys finished the 2023 season with the most points and fifth-most yards in the league. Their offense has taken a significant step back this year, ranking 20th in points per game (21.0) and 12th in yards per game (336.5), with an anemic running game producing just 77.2 rushing yards per game and two total touchdowns, both dead-last in the NFL. Dak Prescott is still fourth in the league with 267 passing yards per game, though his six interceptions are the third-most.
However, the Cowboys have not been efficient through the air or on the ground, ranking in the bottom 11 in both EPA/pass and EPA/rush, per NextGen Stats (subscription required). That has especially been an issue in the red zone, where Dallas has converted just six touchdowns on 16 total trips (37.5%), the second-lowest rate in the league.
McCarthy, of course, is the rare HC on a lame-duck contact. Jones cited the wild-card loss to the Packers as the reason why McCarthy is back without an extension. Bill Belichick rumors emerged at different points during the offseason, and this figures to be one of the teams the coaching legend-turned-omnipresent media figure monitors ahead of the 2025 coaching carousel.
The Cowboys declined to add high-level playmakers in free agency or the draft this offseason, re-signing Ezekiel Elliott instead of pursuing Derrick Henry, who leads the league in rushing for the Ravens. Jones was asked about Henry on 105.3 The Fan and shot down any ideas that the All-Pro could have helped the Cowboys’ offense.
“Derrick is having a career year. I don’t know if he’d be having a career year in our situation,” said Jones, via The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. “We don’t run that type of offense at all.” Jones also blamed the salary cap for his inability to offer Henry a competitive contract, though his $8MM-per-year average was only the fifth-highest among running back free agent contracts signed this offseason.
Dallas most recently suffered a 47-9 embarrassment at the hands of the Lions, who held the Cowboys to just 251 total yards and a measly 3.9 yards per play while committing five turnovers. They travel to San Francisco in Week 8 to play the 49ers on Sunday, where a win will be paramount to keeping up with the Commanders and the Eagles in the NFC East.
Jerry Jones Addresses Dak Prescott’s Deal
The Cowboys were one of few teams to experience two big wins today: their win over the Browns in Cleveland and the signing of their star quarterback to the highest salary in NFL history. Both were a long time in the works, but Dak Prescott‘s new contract is perhaps the more gratifying of today’s victories because of the wait. 
Prescott’s extension, which includes $231MM in guaranteed money, an $80MM signing bonus, and a $60MM annual average, was the result of several months of negotiations. In that time, Cowboys fans frustratingly watched quarterbacks with arguably lesser accomplishments, like Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love, become the highest-paid players in the NFL. The frustration wasn’t that players they deemed lesser were getting big contracts, it was that with every big quarterback contract that got signed, the price tag for Prescott kept going up.
There’s an argument to be made that if Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had worked faster to secure extensions for stars like Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, the team could’ve have vastly saved on relatively cheaper deals. Instead of working to set the market, the Cowboys ended up being forced to react to it, leading to them being the only team in the NFL with two of the 20 highest-paid players in the NFL (by annual average) with Prescott at No. 1 and Lamb tied at No. 20.
The unofficial deadline that the team set for getting the deal done was the season opener, and Dallas snuck this one in before watching Prescott potentially test free agency at the end of the year. When asked if he was relieved to have got it done in time, Jones told reporters, “Relief? No, I’m happy that it’s done. This was the time when it was right there for us to do. We were all set to go. That’s so critical.”
Jones claimed that the issue with getting a deal done was never about Prescott being the answer for them at the quarterback position. The concentration was just finding a way to make everything work, and the stars didn’t align until just in time to get the deal done.
“I think we all felt a little energy to come on in and, so to speak, get to a point where we could say ‘yes,'” Jones continued, per Clarence Hill of All City DLLS. “I’ve really known all along what a great player Dak is…I’ve seen too many very important deals not work out just because of miscalculating the right time when everybody’s ready to go. It was apparent to me over the last few days that we were ready to go and could put this in place.”
There was one other sticking point that kept holding Jones up throughout the process: the sheer magnitude of the money involved. “I’m talking about making him the highest paid player in the history of the NFL…$231 million guaranteed, I know, these numbers are beyond anything I could have ever imagined.”
In the end, the team got it done, and now, Prescott has the highest annual salary any player in the NFL has ever had. We don’t know all the specifics of the deal just yet, but ESPN’s Todd Archer tells us that his 2025 cap impact will include $26.13MM in bonus proration, in addition to the new proration of the signing bonus and new base salary. Jones claims he was working to put the Cowboys in the best position to win a Super Bowl in the future, and in his words, “(Prescott) was (their) best chance of getting one.”
Jerry Jones: Cowboys “Don’t Need” To Extend Dak Prescott Before Start Of Season
CeeDee Lamb got his wish for a new contract, but Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is still set to play the 2024 campaign on the final year of his deal. Neither side has showed much urgency in completing an extension, and owner Jerry Jones seemed to acknowledge that a new contract was unlikely to be completed before Prescott and the Cowboys take the field for Week 1.
“We don’t need to get this done before the season,” Jones told Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS last week. “We just don’t need to get it done before the season. Because it’s in all of our interest, Dak and everybody, to have a great season. And as a matter of fact, that’s probably not realistic to think before the season. But my thought sitting right here is we’ll have Dak [as Cowboys quarterback in 2025 and beyond]. But all I’m gonna say is this: it’s not done yet.”
Logically, the Cowboys wouldn’t have invested so much money in a wideout without a plan to retain their franchise quarterback. While the two extensions may be mutually exclusive for the front office, Lamb’s new deal will probably have little impact on Prescott’s stance, and it’s seeming increasingly likely that the QB will play out the 2024 season on his current pact. While there’s a bit of risk from the Cowboys’ perspective to let this play out, but Jones still expressed optimism that Prescott will remain under center for 2025 and beyond.
“I think I am. I am,” Jones said of his confidence about an eventual Prescott extension. “But I understand completely. I understand our challenge. But confident is not a word for me here. I feel that I think that we can do it. We have not figured it out yet.”
With Prescott likely pushing for an average annual value of at least $55MM (and potentially north of $60MM), the organization will likely have to tighten the belt elsewhere on the roster. Jones is already preparing for the fallout from a Prescott extension, and the owner seemed to warn fans that a lucrative QB deal would mean concessions elsewhere on the roster.
“I’m looking at having less supporting cast around him than he’s had any time in his career,” Jones said. “He’s going to have to make up for that and some because we haven’t gotten to the games we want to be playing in. … And he’s going to have to do it in the future with less of a supporting cast. That’s what I’m fighting for. … What kind of supporting cast can we have around Dak? I know you understand that. Do our fans? Do our fans know that Dak is going to have less of a supporting cast than his career has allowed him to have up until now.”
Prescott is currently set to earn $34MM in cash this upcoming season. The organization could look to reduce his $55.13MM with an impending extension, although that would likely kick even more money down the road. The Cowboys front office clearly has to juggle multiple considerations as they navigate negotiations, and it sounds like they may just be willing to play out the 2024 campaign before biting the bullet.
Latest On Cowboys’ Contract Holdups
Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones is starting to tip his hand. All offseason, we have watched the market for quarterbacks and wide receivers be reset as other teams across the NFL pay their players, some of whom were not free agents and still had time left on their contracts. All the while, Dallas has been negotiating, leaving quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and outside linebacker Micah Parsons as some of the few players with unresolved contract issues.
In an interview today, Jones clued us in as to why the Cowboys seem to be resting on their laurels while the rest of the league signs their players. DallasCowboys.com writer Nick Harris provided the full quote.
“Well, again, we’re just continuing to talk,” Jones started before getting to the point at hand. “The thing is there, since we’re really (nearing) in-season, practicing, doing all those things, we’re operating under the existing contract really good.
“One of the things that the fans should really understand is that, nine times out of ten, these are existing contracts that you have in place. You should be able to operate under those, but we’ve gotten it now in the NFL — other teams are dealing with it — with some time on the contract, you still might have a contract discussion. And that’s what we’re doing. None of us — player or team — want to hurt the preparation or likelihood of playing at your best.”
There it is. It’s seemed as if the Cowboys are sitting on their hands in terms of extending their three stars because Jones seemingly wants the players to honor the remainder of their contracts before taking extension conversations seriously. On its surface, this seems like a reasonable expectation, until the flipside shows teams cutting veterans with multiple years left on their contracts because they don’t want to be beholden to the cap figures they agreed to.
It’s strange to see Jones play ignorant to the concept that there is value in keeping your star players happy by offering them security and a raise above what they are already owed. One of the league’s most-talented defenders, Parsons is set to be paid as the 76th highest-paid edge rusher (in terms of annual average contract value) in the NFL in 2024. He’ll receive $2.99MM in cash this year. Lamb is set up a little better with his fifth-year option paying him $17.99MM this year, though that amount would qualify as the 25th-highest annual average for receivers in the league.
Prescott is rightfully content to play out the 2024 season on his current deal, as he’ll receive $34MM in cash this year, but one might think that his $55.13MM cap hit in 2024 might encourage Jones to work out a new deal to reduce his cap impact. The team has already shoveled $54.14MM of Prescott’s cap numbers into future void seasons, so perhaps Jones is hesitant to dig the future hole even deeper.
Jones already voiced a lack of urgency in extending Lamb. The holdout receiver could do nothing but laugh on social media as a response. Jones’ comments today concerning Prescott’s situation indicate more of the same. While other teams are attempting to stay ahead of the ever-inflating contract numbers around the NFL, Jones is keeping his wallet closed for now. Jones even blamed some of his tight-purse tendencies on the NFL’s DirecTV case that could involve a large payout from the league.
Regardless, it seems evident that, at the very least, an extension for Prescott will not likely occur before the start of the regular season. Parsons seemed to be on a lower priority level than Prescott, so he will likely have to wait, as well. As for Lamb? He continues to hold out as offers are proffered and rejected. While media pundits seem to think that Lamb will be out there for Week 1, Jones’ continued nonchalance in negotiating could end up forcing Lamb to continue his holdout into the regular season.
QB Rumors: Dak, Cowboys, Dolphins, Tua, Titans, Rudolph, Willis, Sanders
The Cowboys continue to drag out their complex contract situation, one headlined by Dak Prescott‘s contract-year status and enormous leverage. One of the issues believed to be factoring into the quarterback’s negotiations: when the contract’s escape hatch emerges, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. This would pertain to when guarantees vest. Considering Prescott’s built-in advantages stemming from no-trade and no-tag clauses, along with his lofty 2024 cap number and a $40.1MM void years-driven penalty that would go on Dallas’ cap if he reaches free agency, the ninth-year QB is undoubtedly pushing for most of this contract to be guaranteed. Rolling guarantees, which feature money locking in a year early, are also likely coming up during these talks. The Cowboys prefer five- or six-year deals, though they are not in good position to dictate term length or guarantee structure to their longtime passer.
As could be expected, a host of execs are critical of Jerry Jones for slow-playing this. Some are puzzled (via the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora) the Cowboys owner has lost this much leverage with Dak. The Cowboys are believed to be closer on terms with CeeDee Lamb, but one GM told La Canfora that Jones “totally screwed this up” re: Prescott. A $60MM-per-year contract, or something close to it with a player-friendly guarantee structure, will almost definitely be necessary for the Cowboys to keep Dak away from free agency come March.
Here is the latest QB news from around the league:
- Tua Tagovailoa‘s Dolphins deal features a rolling guarantee structure. The Miami QB’s $54MM 2026 base salary will shift from guaranteed for injury to fully guaranteed in 2025, Florio notes. Of Tua’s 2027 base salary ($31MM), $20MM is guaranteed for injury; $3MM of that total shifts to a full guarantee by 2026 before the remainder vests in 2027. A $5MM roster bonus is also due in 2027. Tagovailoa’s 2028 base ($41.4MM) is nonguaranteed. Miami has set up a potential 2027 escape hatch, though the southpaw starter would still collect more than $150MM from 2024-26 in the event the team moved on three years down the road. Two void years are included to spread out cap hits, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tweets.
- Mason Rudolph has displayed accuracy at Titans camp, to the point Titans.com’s Jim Wyatt notes Malik Willis has been unable to gain ground — even though he has looked more comfortable in Year 3 — in the battle for the QB2 job. In the team’s preseason opener, Rudolph came in first and went 10-for-17 for 126 yards. Willis entered midway through the third quarter, going 5-for-7 for 38 yards (but rushing for 42). The Titans gave Rudolph a one-year, $2.8MM deal with $2.7MM guaranteed. A 2022 third-rounder, Willis is tied to a $985K base salary. Cutting the erratic third-year QB would cost the Titans only $466K, and it is certainly worth noting neither this coaching staff nor GM Ran Carthon was in Nashville when Willis was drafted. The Titans are open to carrying three QBs, but will this staff continue to develop an inherited arm given Carthon’s Will Levis investment?
- NFL evaluators are split on Shedeur Sanders‘ stock for the 2025 draft. While ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid slots him as his No. 2 quarterback (behind Georgia’s Carson Beck) for the ’25 class — though, as a late-Round 1/early-Round 2 prospect — one NFL exec tabbed the Colorado QB as a Day 2 pick. Another evaluator labeled the returning Buffaloes passer as a first-rounder based largely on what is viewed as a weaker quarterback crop. Deion Sanders‘ influence on his son’s career is certainly not lost on execs, Reid adds, as the NFL legend/Colorado HC has already said he does see a cold-weather team as a fit (despite the duo’s current Boulder, Colo., location). Sanders’ impact on his son’s value has come up in NFL circles already and will likely remain a talking point moving forward.
Cowboys Submit New Extension Offer To WR CeeDee Lamb
Still dealing with a rare contract situation in which three players are in the mix for market-setting extensions, the Cowboys have Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb positioned ahead of Micah Parsons in their queue. Differing reports have come out regarding whether Dallas’ quarterback or top wide receiver is the first priority, but the most recent update would point to the latter being in that slot. 
COO Stephen Jones told NFL.com’s Jane Slater on Saturday the team has submitted another proposal to Lamb. Jones views the conversations with Lamb’s camp as positive, as the team attempts to hammer out an agreement that will likely be similar to the Vikings’ megadeal for Justin Jefferson.
After indicating both Lamb and Parsons wanted to become the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB, Jones backtracked by saying the fifth-year wide receiver is not demanding that. At $35MM — with guarantees at $110MM (total) and $88.7MM (full) — Jefferson set a high bar this offseason, one that eclipsed Nick Bosa‘s $34MM-AAV deal as the league’s top non-QB contract.
A report earlier this week, coming out just before Lamb made his long-rumored holdout official, indicated the Cowboys had not yet entered substantial talks with the 2020 first-rounder. It appears that has changed, with this offer — which emerged Friday — not being the first during this negotiation. The Cowboys had Lamb on their extension radar last year but did not appear to enter serious talks. That has driven up the price now that Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and A.J. Brown have upped the market this offseason.
On the quarterback front, Jones told the reporters that, apart from Lamb’s deal yesterday, the team also made a contract offer to Prescott’s agents “a few days ago,” per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. With yesterday’s extensions of Tua Tagovailoa and Jordan Love, it’s likely that the offer will get tossed aside in order to process the newest information. With Tagovailoa’s deal falling just short in annual average value of the league leaders and Love’s extension tying him with Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence as the highest annual earners of all time, it’s easy to envision a situation in the near future wherein Prescott becomes the NFL’s highest-paid player of all time.
A reason that the Cowboys seem to be a step behind the rest of the league on getting these new deals done could be Jones’ father, Jerry Jones. The elder Jones acts as the team’s owner, president, and general manager. This is of note due to what seems to be Dallas’ view on the salary cap affecting negotiations.
Watkins reports that Jones fears that the league’s monopoly case with DirecTV could affect the NFL’s revenue in the future, ultimately pushing for a reduction, or at least a slower inflation, in the salary cap. Subjectively, this feels like a bit of an empty threat. Aside from the COVID-19-affected 2020 season, NFL revenue has increased at the rate of $1BB per year each year since 2017. Regardless of the result of the DirecTV lawsuit, the NFL has secured broadcasting deals with CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN/ABC, YouTube TV, Amazon, and most recently, Netflix. According to Matt Johnson of sportsnaut.com, the league’s estimated revenue for the 2023-24 season approached $20BB.
Jones claims to know where the NFL salary cap is headed better than anyone else, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. Perhaps he does have information other general managers aren’t privy to, but for now, it projects as a bit of grandstanding in order to excuse a slow resolution to multiple big contract negotiations. With recent offers out to Lamb and Prescott, it seems progress is being made, but there is a lot more work to be done in Dallas.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.