OXNARD, Calif. — Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones spent seven minutes with the media after practice on Friday, as the team settles into practicing with pads on in week two of training camp in Oxnard.
Jones spoke on a quick variety of topics as contract extension negotiations with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott continue and certain players stand out on the fields at the River Ridge Complex.
Here are the highlights from what Jones had to say.
Extension Talks 'Progressing'
Jerry Jones didn't have quite the update that his son and team executive vice president Stephen Jones had on Sunday when he said the front office had received an offer from CeeDee Lamb's representation, but he did say that the team continues to work on it as Lamb's training camp absence pushes further into the second week.
"They're just progressing, in my mind," Jones said.
There was similar rhetoric given by Jones on the negotiations with Dak Prescott as the two sides have ramped up communication on a deal with their franchise quarterback since arriving at training camp.
"I would say we're talking, I would not have a legitimate progress point there at all," he said. "I really don't have it for Lamb right now either. It's not negative, I just don't think of it to do any good talking about progress."
On the topic of big contracts, Micah Parsons is also due for an impending record-breaking contract extension that could make him one of the highest paid defenders of all-time. It's a process that Jones is not dismissing despite some higher orders on the list at the moment.
"He's not a backburner issue, but that's not the point," Jones said. "I think that Micah is obviously a key player for the Cowboys. In my mind, he's really just getting started…I'm reluctant to say he's not front and center. He's front and center. His potential future relative to contract impacts our thinking today about contracts. In that sense, he's in there."
Jerry's Camp Favorites
Jerry Jones has spent a lot of time watching practice high above in his owner's box alongside high-ranking members of the personnel department, and a few standouts from the week and a half of camp in Oxnard are at the front of his mind.
"I like our young linemen, across the board on both sides," Jones said. "I like those guys a lot. [DeMarvion] Overshown is gonna get you excited. Excited for him, excited for us. Those guys come to mind."
The center competition is taking on a centerstage, if you will, and Jones has been watching closely at the battle between Brock Hoffman, Cooper Beebe and Dakoda Shepley.
"I like the competition, and it's real," he said. "I like that competition. I really like the makeup of the veteran and the depth and the youth that we've got in that offensive line. I feel as good about the offensive line as any time that I can remember."
On the offensive side in general, Jones sees a pair of contributors from last season taking an extra step in Mike McCarthy's gameplan this season.
"I like [KaVontae] Turpin," he said. "I like him a lot. Really like the work that our fullback [Hunter Luepke] is doing. He's very instrumental, and of course he's going to be a big part of this offense and he's earning it. Mike [McCarthy] loves his versatility, we all do. You gotta be impressed with those tight ends."
Zimmer's Return
Jones was asked about how different it is this time around for Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator and if he is still the "in-your-face" type of leader for that side of the ball. Jones quickly agreed but also acknowledged the steps he's taken in the many years since he was last in the building.
"Smarter, more seasoned and basically I would say he's got such respect as he would have it since he's been very successful," he said. "There's more respect. He had a lot when he was here, but there's just an added respect."
Crowd Concerns?
Headlines were made in the media earlier in the week about decreasing crowd sizes for open practices at training camp, and Jones said that he has acknowledged the crowds early on. But for him, he doesn't have any concerns.
"Not really," he said. "I look at the crowd just like you do, and I don't exactly relate the crowd to the date, but the crowd we had opening day out here looked every bit as like the crowd that we've come accustomed to on opening day. I've seen some afternoons that weren't totally full out here, but I know from the standpoint of the traffic jams out here and the miles of trying to get in, it looks like you'll come in and there will be 100,000 people. It's not something that concerns us."
Comments on Sam Williams
Since arriving in Dallas, Sam Williams has been a player that Jerry Jones has been high on, and with his development set to take off on the field this season, Jones' excitement was continuing. However, following his season-ending ACL injury earlier this week, Jones offered support for his recovery moving forward.
"Just killed me," Jones said. "Especially Sam, we need to get our arms around him real good, and we will. For him, no one is impacted the way he is individually. From a team standpoint, it hurts."
