Following prolonged negotiations that stretched to the brink of the 2024 season, Dak Prescott secured his second substantial contract with the Dallas Cowboys. This new agreement will see him earn $240 million over four years, with $231 million guaranteed.

This contract followed another significant extension by the Cowboys for wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, valued at $136 million over four years. Once again, Dallas finds itself in protracted contract discussions, this time with homegrown talent, linebacker Micah Parsons, who is poised to potentially become the highest-paid defender in NFL history.

Other franchises aim to secure key players early, exemplified by the Cowboys’ division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, who recently clinched the Super Bowl with arguably the NFL’s most skilled roster. This approach has not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, who encouraged his team to adopt a similar strategy amid their own offseason dealings.

The Buffalo Bills preemptively extended quarterback Josh Allen, and the Baltimore Ravens have signaled their intent to do likewise with Lamar Jackson. Dallas co-owner Stephen Jones, son of Jerry Jones, addressed the team’s negotiation approach, expressing no concern over their tendency to wait. “We’ve done early deals before, and we’ve also finalized them at the last minute,” Jones told ESPN.

“The duration of negotiations varies. We pay no heed to critics who claim we delay too long.” Ultimately, reaching an agreement early requires cooperation from both parties, as some athletes may opt to wager on themselves for maximum earnings. However, other organizations seem to have mastered keeping their core players intact without jeopardizing future salary cap considerations.