Dallas City News

It was always going to be hard for Jerry Jones to top his infamous “all-in” proclamation about the 2024 Dallas Cowboys. This is the case because the team was overwhelmingly the least active across the league in terms of free agency. The line was more of a punchline than anything.

But do not tell Jerry Jones that something cannot be done. He will find a way.

Just before the NFL Draft Jones was asked about the pending contract extension for Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, and whether or not the team felt any pressure from the market around them to get ahead of things and put pen to paper as soon as possible.

Jerry noted that he wanted to see some more leaves fall before making a move.

The whole forest just toppled over.

Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson just set the bar for CeeDee Lamb’s inevitable contract extension

The Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles took care of Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown, respectively, in the immediate aftermath of Jones’ leaves line. That was funny enough.

But, with all due respect to them, Lamb is in a different territory. For Lamb, things were always going to be about what the Minnesota Vikings gave Justin Jefferson, arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL.

On Monday morning, that stone overturned. Jefferson and the Vikings agreed to a 4-year, $140M extension. That is $35M per year.

It should be noted that the Vikings are in a much different overall team situation than the Cowboys at the moment. Minnesota has a brand new quarterback on a rookie contract in J.J. McCarthy and are properly taking advantage of the financial freedom that comes with that. If only Dallas had been so visionary during the days of Dak Prescott’s rookie deal.

But on the subject of Prescott, he is a pending extension in his own right. Perhaps the front office has been too busy juggling their two offensive stars (while Micah Parsons waits in the wings) or ultimately just surrendered to the idea that they were always going to have to pay a little bit more to Lamb than the Vikings did Jefferson, similar to nine years ago when Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas got their deals within (what felt like) five minutes of one another.

Back to Lamb. The important numbers are now known:

• An extension length of four years
• $140M overall involved
• $35M per year
• $88.743M due at signing

It stands to reason that Lamb will top Jefferson based on the idea of supply and demand alone. We have seen this play itself out in the NFL market time and time again.

But beyond that, there is an argument to be made that Lamb is the better player. It is admittedly not the most robust argument, but an argument nonetheless.

Stathead

You can bet your own bottom dollar that Lamb and his representation will use every bit of this as ammunition to get more than the deal that Jefferson just did. Who wouldn’t?

The Cowboys might need that bottom dollar of yours when it is all said and done.