Cowboys news: Stephen Jones examines the contract situation of great players.
Stephen Jones claims Cowboys are playing “Houdini” to work out contract situations: Brandon Loree, Blogging The Boys.
The Cowboys’ contract negotiations with its marquee players are now underway.
The Dallas Cowboys had previously been known as magicians. After purchasing the franchise in 1989, owner Jerry Jones drew three Super Bowls out of a hat during the team’s 1990s success.
Unfortunately, the team’s tricks have been outdated and formulaic for several decades.
Keeping fans around the country in their seats beneath the huge tent of AT&T Stadium has become increasingly difficult, particularly since the circus came crashing down against the Green Bay Packers in January.
Fortunately, the circus is back in town for another season, and the front office is attempting their most difficult trick yet: signing Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons to record-breaking contracts.
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones was a guest on The Athletic’s new podcast, Scoop City, hosted by Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel. The discussion concentrated on the looming contract for Dallas’ big three and where things stand now. Jones stated that the crew is in the process of performing its own Houdini act.
“Those things simply take time when you consider the amount of money involved, and of course, we’re trying to play Houdini by keeping all of these individuals around Dak and these players we were lucky enough to pick. When you start stacking ’em up like that, it’s a struggle. It’s not impossible, but there has to be some give and take. I know the Vikings were there with Jefferson when they made that outrageous contract at the wide position; they don’t have a single player on their roster that earns more than $20 million. Of course, we have a huge one in Dak [Prescott], [Trevon] Diggs right there, and then Zack Martin and D-Law. So we have a lot of guys making a lot of money. There are no excuses; we believe and know we can complete this task; it simply requires time.”
Jones seemed confident in his response, but referencing Justin Jefferson’s recent deal with the Minnesota Vikings was noteworthy. Minnesota attempted to reach an agreement with Jefferson last offseason, but negotiations broke down and were postponed until 2024.
Stephen Jones believes approaching contract choices make it ‘a challenge to maintain everybody’. – According to Dianna Russini and Larry Holder of The Athletic, Jones discusses the team’s current situation with Dak Prescott:
“And, of course, you have Dak.” Obviously, his résumé speaks for itself. He finished second in MVP voting last year. You know, he’s had an amazing career here in Dallas.”
“We are optimistic that we can get these guys done,” Jones told the crowd. “I know Dak, and our aim is to get him done. And he understands that. We’re having talks with his agent, Dak, Jerry (Jones), and myself. He understands that our objective is to keep him here. He also recognizes the obstacles.”
“You know what happens to clubs who have these expensive quarterbacks. At some point, it becomes difficult to keep everyone. Clearly, the Chiefs are an illustration of that. They were able to survive despite losing Tyreek Hill and other key players. They released one of the league’s best corners (L’Jarius Sneed) following this season. You have to make some difficult decisions along the road. But we’re certain that we can do it.”
What is Micah’s next move in Zimmer’s defense? Dallas Cowboys Staff Writers, DallasCowboys.com.
Micah Parsons’ role in Mike Zimmer’s scheme will have a significant impact on defensive performance in 2024.
Patrick Walker: First, they should probably engage in a conversation. I’ll presume that has happened by now — less than a week before the first training camp session — and anticipate that Parsons will become a versatile weapon for Zimmer, largely working off the edge and less as an off-ball linebacker. Zimmer didn’t bring in Kendricks and Liufau with the intention of Parsons primarily being a linebacker, after all. For Parsons, the goal is to control what he can. He can’t do anything about the awful amount of non-calls he receives while being robbed in the trenches. But what happens when he finally breaks free? It’s about translating more of his league-leading QB pressures into sacks, which would propel him from the mid-teens to T.J. Watt’s level (20+). He’s already on the verge of taking that next step and all he has to do is take it, which is easier said than done when you’re in a chokehold after the snap.
Nick Eatman: Even the greatest performers require a distinct voice at times. That’s what the Cowboys are banking on from Zimmer and Parsons. I’m interested to see how Micah fits into the new system and how much Zimmer has adapted it to his talents. These discussions almost certainly occurred before to Zimmer’s hiring. If the Cowboys didn’t figure out what his strategy was for Micah, that’s on them. That is why I am not concerned about any discussions or lack thereof between the two. Zimmer knows he wants Parsons to play hard, and Parsons understands he must do the same, especially with a contract on the line. Can he buy into the run-stopping mode? Can he get more sacks in December and January? If Parsons wants to move forward, he must answer these two key issues.
Cowboys camp battles: Jobs on the line for defense this summer (Ben Grimaldi, WFAA)
The linebacker clash will undoubtedly attract a lot of attention.
Marist Liufau vs. DeMarvion Overshown
The Cowboys were also lacking at linebacker heading into the summer. However, the addition of veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks and the third-round pick of Marist Liufau strengthened the defense’s middle line. With the return to health of last year’s third-round selection DeMarvion Overshown, Dallas now has some depth and a camp fight at linebacker.
This past April, the club believed Liufau was too outstanding to pass up, citing his covering ability and football IQ as grounds for drafting the Notre Dame linebacker. Liufau didn’t allow a receiving score in his last two years of college and is equally efficient at the line of scrimmage.
Overshown, who tore his ACL in the preseason and never had an opportunity to grow, might be the major contender for the rookie position. Overshown, like Liufau, is a converted safety with outstanding coverage abilities and a flair for creating plays below the line of scrimmage (30.5 career tackles for a loss).
Right now, both guys appear to be competing for the SAM linebacker slot in Zimmer’s defense, but this might change depending on how camp plays out. In any case, both Day 2 picks are competing for starting roles on the Dallas defense.
Lamar Jackson is disputing Troy Aikman’s bid to trademark shared No. 8. – Lauren Merola, The Athletic
This is an interesting quarterback competition, to say the least.
It’s a quarterback competition for No. 8.
According to online documents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is opposing Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman’s bid to trademark “EIGHT” for use on clothes and bags.
According to ESPN, Jackson’s counsel claimed in a July 9 lawsuit that Aikman’s use of their common phone number will “likely cause confusion” among the public about which quarterback’s firm is selling the merchandise. Jackson filed the appeals against two trademark registrations by FL101, the firm that manufactures Aikman’s goods and designates him as a director in its SEC filings.
Jackson’s company, Era 8 Apparel, sells T-shirts, caps, and accessories, many of which feature the number 8. Jackson has or has applied for multiple trademarks that use the number in various phrases, with the majority including the “Era 8” name.
Aikman introduced EIGHT, a light beer brand, in January 2022. FL101 owns the trademark “EIGHT” for beer and has pending trademarks for restaurant and bar services, mugs and cups, calendars, and posters, among other goods. Jackson’s two appeals are limited to the clothes and luggage.
Three underdog Cowboys players who can soon become everyone’s training camp darlings—Mauricio Rodriguez, AtoZ Sports
Tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford has a chance to impress in the competition for TE2 behind Jake Ferguson.
TE Brevyn Spann Ford
This is the most obvious one for me. Last year, Cowboys supporters fell in love with undrafted free agent John Stephens Jr., who suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason. Since then, we’ve discovered that the 6-5 offensive weapon would have made the 53-man roster.
Now, the Cowboys may move on to another underdog to cheer for at the position: Brevyn Spann-Ford.
With a 6-7, 270-pound frame, Spann-Ford looks the part. He also excelled as a run blocker at Minnesota, and his one weakness appears to be receiving the ball, as he had an unusually high drop rate in his last season of college. If he improves that, he appears like a candidate for a surprise position on the roster, and Cowboys supporters will be cheering for him.
Stephen Jones says an 18-game NFL season is “probably inevitable” – Michael David Smith, PFT
More games, more money.
Jones believes that adding a game to the regular season is a foregone conclusion at this time. Contrary to many suggestions that players would reject a longer season, Jones believes that when players saw how much more money would be generated by an additional game, and how much of that money would go to the players, they will support it.
