How important do you think the three major contracts the Cowboys have coming up rank?
Micah Parsons, Dak Prescott, and CeeDee Lamb in order. Prescott leads the team and holds the most significant role. The NFL simply doesn’t have enough franchise quarterbacks available. Also, the largest amount of salary cap space will be occupied by his deal. On defense, Parsons is a defensive game-changer. One could argue that Dallas’ three consecutive 12-win regular seasons are mostly due to the fact they drafted him. Lamb has developed into one of the top wide receivers in the NFL, and he should be compensated accordingly. But, it defies logic to pay someone among the finest wide receivers and then have no idea who will be the one to deliver the ball to him.
Getting Prescott’s agreement done is at the top of this list for another reason. In order to get the most out of Lamb, the Cowboys must start a top-notch quarterback.
That will always be the most important thing in the group when one of the guys is a franchise quarterback. The Cowboys feel secure with Prescott. In addition to being a top-10 quarterback in the regular season, he exudes leadership in the locker room. Despite all of the postseason failures over the previous ten or so years, Prescott is the kind of player you can convince yourself into being the guy, whether you’re a front office or a fan base.
The Parsons and Lamb cases are a little more complicated. These are exceptional players that the Cowboys selected in the first round; they rank among the finest in their respective fields. But as was already noted, Lamb plays a position where he is more reliant on others around him, especially the quarterback. Although he gets along well with Prescott, Lamb is also affected by problems with Prescott. Although Lamb’s skill is undeniable, it is unclear how well he gets along with quarterbacks who aren’t Prescott.
Applying pressure to the quarterback is crucial in a league where the quarterback position has utmost importance. Parsons does it better than most. With two years remaining on his rookie contract, Parsons’s extension ranks third in my opinion, primarily due to the Cowboys’ time constraints.
The biggest need for Dallas in the draft is an offensive line, as the departures of Tyron Smith (Jets) and Tyler Biadasz (Commanders) suggest. However, in his most recent mock draft, NFL.com’s Eric Edholm claims that the Cowboys select Brian Thomas Jr. of LSU instead of Dak, giving Dak a replacement for Michael Gallup.
“With Thomas surprisingly still on the board at this point, I could see the Cowboys being aggressive, even though they don’t have a ton of extra picks laying around,” Eholm writes. “To secure a player like this LSU product, Dallas may need to move up in order to add more pass-catching threats. His explosive talent can help protect CeeDee Lamb from being subjected to an excessive amount of deceptive coverage.
Thomas Jr. is a strong contender to succeed Gallup. The team has chosen to sever relations with the six-year veteran, who finished with a career-low 418 receiving yards and just two touchdowns from his 34 receptions. This creates an additional offensive gap that Thomas Jr. might cover.
It’s possible that Thomas Jr., somewhat less expensive, might match Gallup’s output in his debut season in Mike McCarthy’s offense. With a strong rapport with Jayden Daniels, Thomas Jr. caught 68 passes for 1,177 yards and a career-high 17 touchdowns during his final season at LSU.
OT La’el Collins signed a one-year contract with the Bills shortly after rejoining the Cowboys’ practice squad.
La’el Collins, an offensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals and former Dallas Cowboy, is reportedly inked by the Bills to a one-year contract. Buffalo now bolsters an offensive line that was among the healthiest in the league this past season despite losing center Mitch Morse to free agency.
NFL expert Jordan Schultz tweeted, “Source: It’s a one-year deal worth up to $6.25M for La’el Collins and the Bills.” “Collins could have had more suitors, but he decided to go with Buffalo in the hopes of winning the Super Bowl.”
Assuming a starting position, Collins would be able to shield Josh Allen’s right side from danger because Dion Dawkins, who last month inked a three-year, $60.6 million contract extension, still controls the blind side at left tackle. Although offensive tackle Spencer Brown of the Bills is certainly a viable option, Collins has a ton of experience and has started 86 of his 89 career games.
In terms of Super Bowl contenders, the Dallas Cowboys are ranked number ten following the Texans’ acquisition of Stefon Diggs.
The Dallas Cowboys haven’t made many offseason changes, but they still excel at consistency. Dallas has won 12 games in each of the last three seasons, and a club has a chance as long as it is participating in the postseason.
The Cowboys may not have an all-star team, but they do have guys at many key positions who are capable of playing in the Pro Bowl. QB Dak Prescott, tight end Jake Ferguson, guard Zack Martin, receiver CeeDee Lamb, cornerback Trevon Diggs, and pass-rusher Micah Parsons are all included in that.
In 2024, the roster hasn’t improved, but the core is still solid. With the exception of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys shouldn’t have much divisional opposition. In 2023, the Washington Commanders and New York Giants were two of the poorest clubs in the league.
The Cowboys haven’t advanced past the divisional stage under head coach Mike McCarthy, and they could have some distractions this season, so it’s difficult to put them higher.