Jerry Jones details challenges in Dak Prescott's contract negotiations with Cowboys - "Trying to be real practical"

Jerry Jones has given his thoughts on Dak Prescott's looming contract extension and put the pressure firmly on the quarterback's shoulder for the upcoming season. The Cowboys owner, ever a canny businessman, laid out his thinking process about how he sees the drama playing out.

Appearing on Stephen A. Smith's show, Jerry Jones did some cost-benefit analysis by comparing Dak Prescott to the alternative. He pointed out that someone like Trey Lance is not just a stopgap but is going to be pushing the starter and could have the ability to continue much longer in the NFL than the incumbent. The Cowboys ower, also the general manager of the team, noted,

"When you look at what he brings to the table, as opposed to the alternative, the alternative is not a one year alternative, it's a several year alternative. So when you look at the prospects of the likelihood of him over the next five years, knocking on that door, I like those odds. And that, to me, is where you go."

Sounding circumspect, Jerry Jones also added that he has previously paid Dak Prescott handsomely and supported him with a great cast and all of that needs to factor into an extension debate. In what could be a worrying sign for the quarterback, the Dallas chief added,

"I'm trying to be real practical... But the facts are that not only have we had great supporting cast around Dak, we have also spot some of the money that we've got to spend on Dak in the future that went in on his last contracts."

Jerry Jones struggling for balance with Dak Prescott contract

Jerry Jones basically admitted that his problem was the more he paid his star quarterback, the less there was to pay the star players around him. And given his previous handsome contract, star offensive linemen, receivers, and running backs during that period, and the failure, still, to win or get near a Super Bowl, it seems that the Cowboys owner wants to see more before committing to Dak Prescott.

He added,

"So we have the challenge of not only recouping what we have spent on him over the last four years, we've got to add that to what we're going to be paying him for the future. Now that's not Dak's problem on the end that it's the Dallas Cowboys problem, because that money is not going to be there to spend on supporting cast."

Jerry Jones could yet come around to how he did for CeeDee Lamb but there are warning signs for Dak Prescott.