Cowboys Dak Prescott New Contract: Does 'Holistic' Jerry Not Understand NFL Salary Cap?
FRISCO - Here's a frightening thought: Billionaire businessman Jerry Jones - a "founding father'' of the NFL salary cap - doesn't really understand the NFL salary cap.
Is that possible?
Jones spoke to reporters on Tuesday for the first time since it was announced that coach Mike McCarthy would be keeping his job for 2024, with the owner noting that "continuity'' with QB Dak Prescott is among the reasons.
“Overwhelmingly, I thought the best decision was to have the continuity that Mike brings,” Jones said. “When I look at the job he’s done over the last four years, I can point to some real positives, not the least of which are his 12-win seasons.”
Jones added that he endorses how McCarthy has guided Prescott - an NFL MVP finalist - to improvement, adding that he believes there is still “more to get” out of their franchise QB as he enters his ninth season.
“The thing I would emphasize more than anything is that Dak has room for improvement,” Jones said. “And not just the scheme around him, but Dak can improve. That’s a big plus when you’ve been playing the game (eight) years and by assessment have some room to get better in. He did this year.
"I expect him to do it next year and the next year.”
Is that an indication of the Cowboys' continuing plan to create a long-term extension for the QB? Jones essentially confirmed that, saying, “Last year I said we see a picture of him going forward for many years. That’s alive and well. Yes. We sure do. But we have a lot of contracts to address.''
So far, so good. But then cap-conscious Jerry added, "Are you interested in signing Dak and being that much more over the cap? Are you interested in signing (CeeDee) Lamb and being that much more over the cap?''
But Mr. Jones ... Umm. ... That’s NOT how this works.
A Dak extension can REDUCE his cap number from $59 million by $20 million.
A Lamb extension can REDUCE his cap number from $18 million by $10 million.
Jerry knows all of this ... right?
In the end, Jones - while using the word "holistic'' in a way we cannot quite understand - hinted that Prescott's situation here should be secure.
“Dak has done nothing to change my mind on any promise for the future,'' Jones said. "I think I said that we would go as far as Dak takes us in the playoffs. Remember that? We go as far as Dak takes us, and that’s how far we went. My point is, that doesn’t change a thing.”
Regarding what Jones might think went wrong in the playoff loss to the Packers, "We went as far as Dak took us'' could be taken as a sharp-pointed criticism of the QB.
But either way ... the real "sharp point'' needs to be at the end of a Cowboys pencil that writes up contracts - with an understanding that a Dak extension will not "put Dallas that much more over the cap.'' At all.
