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By Jon Machota 3h ago
FRISCO, Texas — Jerry Jones was not playing around on Tuesday.
The Cowboys owner and general manager was in a laid-back mood when chatting about contract negotiations throughout the previous few weeks of training camp in California. But that changed Tuesday after a news conference announcing a contract extension with Jaylon Smith.
Make no mistake, the Cowboys wanted to lock up their star middle linebacker long term, but Tuesday was about more than just Smith. His deal wasn’t expected to be the one announced when the team sent out an email earlier in the day alerting reporters to a 4:30 p.m. press conference at The Star.
The speculation was immediately centered on a new contract for one of their big three: Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott or Amari Cooper.
But as of Tuesday night, those deals don’t appear close to getting finalized.
Smith’s new contract got done before the others because he was willing to take a team-friendly extension. The other three are looking to be one of the highest paid at their positions. The Cowboys have been open about offering all three deals that would pay them among the top five at their positions.
Smith essentially had two years remaining on his rookie contract, this upcoming season and then a restricted free agency year. The new five-year extension turns his current contract into a seven-year deal worth just under $70 million. The new portion of the deal is five years, $64 million with $35.5 million guaranteed.
During the extension years, Smith will average $12.8 million, making him the fifth-highest paid inside linebacker. Seattle’s Bobby Wagner is currently tops at the position at $18 million per year. Other deals will likely be signed between now and when Smith’s new portion kicks in, of course, meaning he’ll likely fall some in those rankings.
It’s a great story for Smith, who many thought might never play again after suffering a gruesome knee injury during his final college game. But this day was also about the Cowboys showing they can still get long-term deals done.
“This is a contract story right here,” Jones said. “Y’all been badgering my ass to get a contract done for the last three weeks. Well, this is a contract story.”
Jones was even more fired up after the news conference when talking about the deal as an example for Prescott, Elliott, Cooper and their representatives.
“The team takes precedent at a point over the opinion or the demand of the individual,” Jones said. “The team takes precedent. This was a team move we are talking about today. The team takes precedent. And I’ve got the backbone to keep it that way.”
And not only did Jones suggest he’s not willing to give in on contract talks with his top three, he also revealed that there hasn’t been any recent movement in those negotiations.
“The way to get this done is people to have a little more thought about team,” Jones said. “And that’s certainly in Jaylon’s mind.”
Part of the narrative heading into Tuesday was that the Cowboys needed to give in a little to try to make something happen with Prescott, Elliott or Cooper. Many believed at least one would have been signed by the time the team left California.
However, Elliott is back in Cabo, and Prescott and Cooper aren’t any closer to holding news conferences of their own. Smith’s signing puts some pressure back on the players.
Jones hinted at a potential contract extension with a player not named Prescott, Elliott or Cooper last week. So if the Cowboys can get a deal done with Smith in less than a week and a half, why can’t the same happen with the others?
“These things, candidly, once you get it all in front of you, shouldn’t be all-day deals,” Jones said. “They really should be done a lot quicker than they are. You’re getting toyed around with.”
Now, it’s also important to note that it’s not those players’ responsibility to take team-friendly deals. This is possibly the biggest payday all three will ever get. They have every right to get top dollar. And it’s highly unlikely that their agents will all of a sudden give in because of Smith’s signing. But it does add some pressure.
“You took a risk,” Smith said Tuesday, sitting between Jones and Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones. “A $4.5 million risk had I never been able to play again. So me understanding that, it was my duty for them to get their return on their investment. They’ve been able to do that. Now, I’m fortunate enough to really be a Cowboy for life, which is what I wanted.”
The Cowboys, somewhat surprisingly, used the 34th overall pick in the 2016 draft on Smith. He sat out his entire rookie year while rehabbing, not knowing if he’d ever get back close to the player he was in college. At Notre Dame, Smith was regarded as one of college football’s top players, a sure bet to go among the top 10 picks.
He returned to the field in 2017, playing in all 16 games but still appearing a step slower than before the injury. He was fine running downhill, but his lateral movement had not fully returned to his college form.
That changed last season when he emerged as one of the top linebackers in football, playing alongside standout rookie weakside linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. Smith started every game, finishing second on the team with 121 total tackles. He also added four sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
“If you’re going to climb in a foxhole, it’s better to be in there with somebody that’s been shot at,” Jerry Jones said. “It’s better to have a guy that has shown he can handle adversity. And then it’s always nice to be in there with somebody that’s got a plan to get out of that foxhole.”
Stephen Jones was out front in handling the DeMarcus Lawrence contract extension that got done in April. That move led some to believe that, at 76, Jerry Jones wasn’t as involved any more.
His recent laid-back approach probably contributed as well. His “Zeke who?” joke following Saturday’s preseason game in Hawaii didn’t sit well with Elliott and his representatives.
Jerry Jones had a much different tone when asked about that comment on Tuesday.
“I’ve earned the right, with Zeke, to joke. Period. I’ve earned that,” a completely serious Jones said. “Let me be real clear about it, I’ve earned that right to joke.”
The Cowboys owner and GM was obviously referring to getting Elliott’s back throughout his off the field issues. But he was also showing that he’s still got his fastball, and he won’t be bullied.
So which deal is likely to get done next?
I’d still handicap it at Elliott, Prescott and then Cooper.
Prescott and Cooper aren’t threatening to sit out games. Both will play out the final year of their rookie contracts if needed. As good as the Cowboys look on paper, though, they won’t reach their ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl without Elliott.
As Week 1 closes in, now less than three weeks away, it would seem likely that both Elliott’s representatives and the Jones’ will come together to make at least one more strong push at finalizing an extension. Neither side will be pleased if Elliott misses regular season games.
At the moment, that seems like the best case scenario for another press conference announcement at The Star.
“What it does, is it shows that you can have Jaylon sitting up here smiling big, and his mother happy about his business, and it works for the team as well,” Stephen Jones said. “I still think we can do that with all of the players that we have remaining out there. And it’s not just those three that want to be Cowboys and want their contracts. It’s more than just Jaylon. It’s more than just Dak and Zeke and Amari.
“We have a lot of good, young football players back there that want to take care of their business as well.”
By Jon Machota 3h ago
FRISCO, Texas — Jerry Jones was not playing around on Tuesday.
The Cowboys owner and general manager was in a laid-back mood when chatting about contract negotiations throughout the previous few weeks of training camp in California. But that changed Tuesday after a news conference announcing a contract extension with Jaylon Smith.
Make no mistake, the Cowboys wanted to lock up their star middle linebacker long term, but Tuesday was about more than just Smith. His deal wasn’t expected to be the one announced when the team sent out an email earlier in the day alerting reporters to a 4:30 p.m. press conference at The Star.
The speculation was immediately centered on a new contract for one of their big three: Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott or Amari Cooper.
But as of Tuesday night, those deals don’t appear close to getting finalized.
Smith’s new contract got done before the others because he was willing to take a team-friendly extension. The other three are looking to be one of the highest paid at their positions. The Cowboys have been open about offering all three deals that would pay them among the top five at their positions.
Smith essentially had two years remaining on his rookie contract, this upcoming season and then a restricted free agency year. The new five-year extension turns his current contract into a seven-year deal worth just under $70 million. The new portion of the deal is five years, $64 million with $35.5 million guaranteed.
During the extension years, Smith will average $12.8 million, making him the fifth-highest paid inside linebacker. Seattle’s Bobby Wagner is currently tops at the position at $18 million per year. Other deals will likely be signed between now and when Smith’s new portion kicks in, of course, meaning he’ll likely fall some in those rankings.
It’s a great story for Smith, who many thought might never play again after suffering a gruesome knee injury during his final college game. But this day was also about the Cowboys showing they can still get long-term deals done.
“This is a contract story right here,” Jones said. “Y’all been badgering my ass to get a contract done for the last three weeks. Well, this is a contract story.”
Jones was even more fired up after the news conference when talking about the deal as an example for Prescott, Elliott, Cooper and their representatives.
“The team takes precedent at a point over the opinion or the demand of the individual,” Jones said. “The team takes precedent. This was a team move we are talking about today. The team takes precedent. And I’ve got the backbone to keep it that way.”
And not only did Jones suggest he’s not willing to give in on contract talks with his top three, he also revealed that there hasn’t been any recent movement in those negotiations.
“The way to get this done is people to have a little more thought about team,” Jones said. “And that’s certainly in Jaylon’s mind.”
Part of the narrative heading into Tuesday was that the Cowboys needed to give in a little to try to make something happen with Prescott, Elliott or Cooper. Many believed at least one would have been signed by the time the team left California.
However, Elliott is back in Cabo, and Prescott and Cooper aren’t any closer to holding news conferences of their own. Smith’s signing puts some pressure back on the players.
Jones hinted at a potential contract extension with a player not named Prescott, Elliott or Cooper last week. So if the Cowboys can get a deal done with Smith in less than a week and a half, why can’t the same happen with the others?
“These things, candidly, once you get it all in front of you, shouldn’t be all-day deals,” Jones said. “They really should be done a lot quicker than they are. You’re getting toyed around with.”
Now, it’s also important to note that it’s not those players’ responsibility to take team-friendly deals. This is possibly the biggest payday all three will ever get. They have every right to get top dollar. And it’s highly unlikely that their agents will all of a sudden give in because of Smith’s signing. But it does add some pressure.
“You took a risk,” Smith said Tuesday, sitting between Jones and Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones. “A $4.5 million risk had I never been able to play again. So me understanding that, it was my duty for them to get their return on their investment. They’ve been able to do that. Now, I’m fortunate enough to really be a Cowboy for life, which is what I wanted.”
The Cowboys, somewhat surprisingly, used the 34th overall pick in the 2016 draft on Smith. He sat out his entire rookie year while rehabbing, not knowing if he’d ever get back close to the player he was in college. At Notre Dame, Smith was regarded as one of college football’s top players, a sure bet to go among the top 10 picks.
He returned to the field in 2017, playing in all 16 games but still appearing a step slower than before the injury. He was fine running downhill, but his lateral movement had not fully returned to his college form.
That changed last season when he emerged as one of the top linebackers in football, playing alongside standout rookie weakside linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. Smith started every game, finishing second on the team with 121 total tackles. He also added four sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
“If you’re going to climb in a foxhole, it’s better to be in there with somebody that’s been shot at,” Jerry Jones said. “It’s better to have a guy that has shown he can handle adversity. And then it’s always nice to be in there with somebody that’s got a plan to get out of that foxhole.”
Stephen Jones was out front in handling the DeMarcus Lawrence contract extension that got done in April. That move led some to believe that, at 76, Jerry Jones wasn’t as involved any more.
His recent laid-back approach probably contributed as well. His “Zeke who?” joke following Saturday’s preseason game in Hawaii didn’t sit well with Elliott and his representatives.
Jerry Jones had a much different tone when asked about that comment on Tuesday.
“I’ve earned the right, with Zeke, to joke. Period. I’ve earned that,” a completely serious Jones said. “Let me be real clear about it, I’ve earned that right to joke.”
The Cowboys owner and GM was obviously referring to getting Elliott’s back throughout his off the field issues. But he was also showing that he’s still got his fastball, and he won’t be bullied.
So which deal is likely to get done next?
I’d still handicap it at Elliott, Prescott and then Cooper.
Prescott and Cooper aren’t threatening to sit out games. Both will play out the final year of their rookie contracts if needed. As good as the Cowboys look on paper, though, they won’t reach their ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl without Elliott.
As Week 1 closes in, now less than three weeks away, it would seem likely that both Elliott’s representatives and the Jones’ will come together to make at least one more strong push at finalizing an extension. Neither side will be pleased if Elliott misses regular season games.
At the moment, that seems like the best case scenario for another press conference announcement at The Star.
“What it does, is it shows that you can have Jaylon sitting up here smiling big, and his mother happy about his business, and it works for the team as well,” Stephen Jones said. “I still think we can do that with all of the players that we have remaining out there. And it’s not just those three that want to be Cowboys and want their contracts. It’s more than just Jaylon. It’s more than just Dak and Zeke and Amari.
“We have a lot of good, young football players back there that want to take care of their business as well.”
