Cowboys COO throws up Chiefs-Tyreek Hill example as Dallas struggles with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb extensions

The Dallas Cowboys are on the proverbial clock with Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb's contract extensions all up in the air.

None of the Cowboys trio is expected to leave the franchise this season though there have been murmurs that Lamb could hold out unless they reach an agreement over an extension.

Cowboys co-owner and Chief Operating Officer Stephen Jones joined The Athletic insider Dianna Russini on the Scoop City podcast this week to address misgivings around Prescott, Parsons and Lamb's new deals.

Jones brought up an interesting case study while talking about the Cowboys' current challenges.

“You know what happens to teams when you have these high-priced quarterbacks. At some point, it’s a challenge to keep everybody," Jones said.

"The Chiefs are an example of that. But they were able to survive not keeping Tyreek Hill and some other top players. They let go one of the top corners [L’Jarius Sneed] in the league after this season."

Jones added that all NFL teams have to make some tough choices along the way but the franchise is optimistic that they will keep all three of their stars in town.

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What could CeeDee Lamb's contract extension realistically look like?

Wide receivers have been hogging the limelight in the NFL in recent months and it's not just because of Netflix's 'Receiver' series.

In June, Justin Jefferson signed a blockbuster four-year extension with the Minnesota Vikings which, at $140 million, makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Jefferson's contract reset the market, especially with a number of receivers up for an extension.

The Detroit Lions handled their business well before Jefferson's deal, signing the WR to a four-year $120 million deal.

It's safe to say that CeeDee Lamb's contract extension could fall somewhere between the two. While there were some reports that Lamb was demanding $32 million a year like his Philadelphia Eagles counterpart A.J. Brown, that appears unlikely at the moment.

Lamb is generally seen as a more elite playmaker than St. Brown, but given the Cowboys' situation at present, it's likely the two sides could come to an agreement over a deal close to the $120M-$125M mark spread out over four years, thus also lowering his 2024 cap hit which currently stands at $17 million.