“Well, Dak for us is… I get in trouble every time I make comparisons,” Jerry Jones stammered, dodging a question about whether Dak Prescott deserves more than Jordan Love’s recent $55 million per year deal. The Dallas Cowboys’ brass finds themselves in familiar territory, facing a high-stakes game of contract chicken with their star players.

Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones dropped a bombshell on 96.7 The Ticket, hinting at a bold new strategy for contract negotiations. Jones pointed to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs as the blueprint for success, suggesting that Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and Terence Steele should consider similar ‘team-friendly deals’.

“(The top of the QB market with Joe Burrow at $55 million per season) has stopped. Obviously a guy like (Patrick) Mahomes, all he has to do is raise his hand. I think Mahomes also is liking winning those championships, and he knows he can (only) take so much before what can he have (around him). (Travis) Kelce did the same thing. He could’ve probably walked away with quite a bit more money in terms of what they got in the tight end market. I think all of those things have to come into play,” Jones stated.

The Cowboys find themselves in a precarious position. Prescott’s current deal, with a $55.4 million cap hit in 2024, expires at the end of this season. With no-trade and no-tag clauses, Prescott holds all the cards. The Dallas side has been widely expected to propose an extension. However, those matters don’t seem to be moving as fast as one would anticipate.

Reporter Nick Harris believes that a new deal “can happen” and the circumstances “change every day.”

Meanwhile, Lamb is skipping training camp as he seeks a raise on his $17.9 million fifth-year option. He is eyeing a deal close to Justin Jefferson’s $35 million.

But coming back to Jones’ comments, it highlights the tightrope act between paying star players and maintaining a competitive roster. “I totally understand that they want to be paid, and it’s their time to be paid. And we respect that as well. Certainly they deserve it. They do their job as well as anyone in the league, whether you’re talking about CeeDee, Dak, Micah, Diggs. All those guys play at a high level and they deserve to be paid,” he concluded. So will the Cowboys adopt a strategy similar to the Chiefs?

Mahomes’ contract averages $45 million annually. This relative bargain has allowed the Chiefs to keep key players like Travis Kelce and Chris Jones while winning back-to-back Super Bowls.

Will the Cowboys use the Patrick Mahomes’s blueprint?

The Chiefs’ approach to Mahomes’ contract offers a masterclass in team building. Despite being arguably the best player in the NFL, Mahomes’ average annual salary ranks behind quarterbacks like Jared Goff ($53 million/year) and Kyler Murray ($46.1 million/year). In fact, Mahomes is tied with Kirk Cousins as the 11th-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL after Tua Tagovailoa’s recent mega $212.4 million deal with the Dolphins.

This isn’t just about raw numbers. The structure of Mahomes’ deal allows for flexibility, with restructures and amendments creating cap space when needed. According to Pro Football Talk, the QB’s cash payment for the four years extending through the 2027 season will be $215.6 million, the highest in the league.

Importantly, Mahomes seems content with the arrangement. “Not necessarily,” he told USA Today when asked if he felt underpaid. “I think we do a great job of managing my money, to be able to pay me a lot of money and keep a good team around me.”

The results speak for themselves. Since signing his extension in 2020, Patrick Mahomes has led the Chiefs to a 51-16 record and two Super Bowl victories. His 15 playoff wins dwarf the combined 17 playoff wins of the quarterbacks, making more than him!

For Prescott and Lamb, the challenge is clear: Can they elevate their game to match their paychecks and bring glory back to Dallas? As Stephen Jones put it, “At some point, we want to keep being able to put some guys around them.” The Cowboys’ 28-year Super Bowl drought looms large, and the pressure is on to follow the Mahomes model of success.

The Cowboys aren’t alone in seeking team-friendly deals, though.

Josh Allen’s six-year, $258 million contract with the Buffalo Bills, signed in 2021, now looks like a bargain compared to recent quarterback deals. Meanwhile, players like Raheem Mostert ($4.13 million annually) and Marquise Brown ($7 million for one year) have signed deals well below market value to play for contending teams.

As Jerry Jones put it, “We’re option-quarterbacking, and we’re going out toward the sideline. We’re trying to make our mind up [with] what to do.” The Cowboys are the first team to win at least 12 games in three consecutive seasons without reaching the conference championship round. With Prescott’s playoff record at 2-5, including a devastating loss to Jordan Love’s Packers last season, the pressure is mounting.

Despite the challenges, Jerry Jones remains confident in Prescott’s abilities. As the 2024 season approaches, all eyes are on Dallas. Will Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb follow Mahomes’ lead and prioritize team success over individual paydays? Or will the Cowboys’ Super Bowl drought continue?