Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones acknowledged that the team’s front office is “very aware” of the club’s frustrated fan base after little splash was made during free agency. Sure, the Cowboys added veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks on a one-year agreement on Wednesday, however the fans expected more — especially after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said earlier this offseason that he planned to go “all in.”
And “all in” didn’t include signing two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry, who told Mad Dog Sports Radio that the Cowboys didn’t even reach out to him. That comes on the heels of seeing Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia) and Aaron Jones (Minnesota) — who lives in Dallas during the offseason — land with other teams while the Cowboys saw fellow running back Tony Pollard join the Tennessee Titans. “Everybody certainly has that right (to be frustrated),” Stephen Jones said Thursday, via The Athletic.
“I know where the frustration is, it’s the fact that we haven’t had success in the playoffs to their satisfaction. Until that happens, there will always be criticism. We know we can do it, but we’re sticking with what we believe is ultimately going to win a championship for our fans. We don’t define “all in” by how much we spend in free agency. It’s about maintaining a (cohesive) core.” Dallas has little room in the big leagues.
The Cowboys also have quarterback Dak Prescott seeking a contract extension, and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and linebacker Micah Parsons are up for big contracts. When asked if big-time free agents will go elsewhere, Stephen Jones replied, “It means I did a good job in the draft, so I’m not frustrated.” “I think this is a sign that we’ve done our job in terms of our organization, Will [McRae], our scouting department, our coaches, our player development. It’s great to have Micah and CeeDee.
Dak (Contract) We have a challenge to get them under the cap and we are determined to make sure we do it. If you want to keep it…” Then they won’t be able to go after these guys (highly paid free agents). … The way I look at things is what I’ve always said. Acquisition of a player takes place 365 days a year. It’s not just Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 of free agency.” Prescott, 30, is entering his ninth season and final season of a four-year, $160 million contract that began in 2021.
Prescott has a salary cap hit of $59.5 million in 2024, and the Cowboys have reportedly held preliminary discussions about a long-term contract extension. Since Prescott and the Cowboys signed his existing contract, nine quarterbacks have signed contracts with higher overall value. Lamb, 24, will enter the 2024 season because the final season of his contract has a fifth-year option, but he is coming off a season in which he set franchise records for receptions (135 yards) and receiving yards (1,749 yards).
After that, Ram is expected to achieve the following results. He is seeking a significant increase in his fifth-year salary of $17.9 million. That would bring him closer to the salaries of other wide receivers in the league, such as Miami’s Tyreek Hill ($30 million) and Las Vegas’ Davante Adams ($28 million). Parsons, 24, earned Pro Bowl team and All-Pro honors in each of his first three seasons and has the numbers to warrant a raise. Parsons was selected by the Cowboys with the 12th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has one year left on his rookie contract, making this offseason his first opportunity for a contract extension. Parsons led the Cowboys with 14.0 sacks in 2023. He started all 50 games and has a career total of 40.5 sacks.
