FRISCO, Texas – Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and the entire front office, have had a clear vision for how they want to set up the core of their franchise: Sign Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons to extensions.
Last week in an interview with the NFL Network, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said this when asked if the Cowboys would be better off signing more "middle class" players to extensions instead of high-end ones:
"I think that's a balancing act that you always got to look at," Jones said. "Especially when your good, good players get hurt and are not on the field. It totally magnifies the issue if you lose guys like Dak, and Diggs misses games, Zack Martin misses games and it's going to magnify something like that."
"You're going to say 'God, are we smart having this much money tied in to the top five to 10 players?'"
With Parsons' deal looming, one that would likely be another large portion of the Cowboys' salary cap, some took that to mean that Dallas was hesitant about inking Parsons' extension and instead potentially looking at trade options for the All-Pro. Jerry Jones made it very clear that wasn't the case.
"[Stephen Jones] did not in any way say that Micah Parsons was an issue looking ahead at the future..." Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "That's never been uttered in this organization that we don't have a future with Micah Parsons."
On Monday, Stephen Jones clarified his comments on Parsons as well – adding that the Cowboys' initial goal of signing their three core players was still intact.
"We see Micah as a Cowboy for long term," Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "Like I said all you've got to do is look at the football games and see what he does for us when he's healthy and out there making plays, and then have the vision of what he can be when we get guys back."
"We've said all along our goal here was to sign all three of those guys, and that's still our goal."
The Jones family saying it is one thing, but Parsons himself has stated several times that he also wants to be a Cowboy for the foreseeable future as well. He understands the business side of the NFL, and regardless of what happens, he's still going to play like Micah Parsons.
"I understand how that business side goes, no hard feelings in this business whether I'm here or anywhere else. Obviously, I stated how I wanted to be here, but at the end of the day I understand the business side." Parsons said following Dallas' win over the Panthers on Sunday.
"I'm just happy to be here, and I'm just going to keep playing hard while I'm here, and if I'm here for the next five or six years, I'm going to keep playing hard then too."
Much has been made about the upcoming offseason for the Cowboys and how they may be limited in what they can do because of their cap situation with Prescott and Lamb's deals signed, and Parsons likely to follow. Jerry Jones understands Dallas' situations and believes they can still navigate towards their ultimate goal of bringing another Super Bowl home.
"Anybody that is paying the premium price for the quarterback has got some tightness and some frugality involved in their salary cap, period. That's the system." Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan.
"And can that be done and successfully and really done in a way that gives you every bit the chance to go to the Super Bowl that others have? Absolutely. It can be, but it's just done with the recognition that you've got to make that work."
Another aspect that goes into attaining a Super Bowl is the coaching staff, including head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, whose contracts are up after this season. Jerry Jones added that the two may be tied together in the Cowboys' decisions going forward.
"In a way I do, especially after the last ball games..." Jerry Jones said of McCarthy and Zimmer on 105.3 The Fan. "You're beginning to see some of the best, but maybe the best is still ahead of us... I give them both high grades this year."
And part of the high grade for McCarthy has been keeping his team together and playing hard, despite a 6-8 record and growing list of injuries each week continuing to pile on.
"I don't know how you can not say that his team has shown that they'll handle adversity, and he can get you there with the injury situation impacting the availability of those players," Jerry Jones said.
"I hate to keep repeating that, but it's so obvious and yet, have that team playing at the level it's playing."
A large part of the reason why the defense is playing better, and the Cowboys are still putting forth effort despite the circumstances of the season?
Micah Parsons. And that's why he's such a priority for the franchise.
"If I were a fan, I'd listen to what Micah Parsons' got to say because it's real informative and he enjoys the heartbeat of the team because he is in a way, a major part of the heartbeat of the team." Jerry Jones said.
