NFL analyst highlights Cowboys' dilemma in choosing two among Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, and CeeDee Lamb

The whole NFL world knows that the Cowboys need to give new contracts to Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons. But there's a dilemma at the heart of the whole affair, which Aaron Schatz captures in his new ESPN piece. With a fixed salary cap, the Dallas brass might be weighing up which players to give contracts to, when none of them has been elite in the offseason, especially their quarterback.

But the conundrum is that the longer they wait, the more they are digging themselves into a whole as the market will keep shifting. For example, Justin Jefferson's $140 million, four-year contract, worth $35 million a year has reset the wide receiver market. Had the Cowboys found it possible to agree to a deal with CeeDee Lamb prior to that, they might have got him down cheaper. And that is what Schatz writes,

"I'm not sure what the Cowboys are waiting for. The longer they wait to extend these important players, the more expensive those contracts become as other players (such as wide receiver Justin Jefferson) get paid and raise the bar at those positions."

Dak Prescott's struggles irrelevant, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons elite?

Schatz seems to suggest that this is not the time and place to worry about Dak Prescott's lack of postseason performances. If there were a time to ponder this question, many would argue it should have been done in free agency or prior to the NFL Draft.

On the other hand, the writer gives his take that nobody can deny that CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons are among the top players in their positions. Though their quarterback might question why their postseason failures are not being held up against them. Schatz continues,

"This isn't the place to have a long debate about Prescott's struggles in the postseason and whether he's truly worth a top-money quarterback contract. But nobody out there is going to argue against the idea that Lamb and Parsons are at or near the top of their positions and deserve extensions. The Cowboys wouldn't want to let these players leave. So get on it!"

It is perhaps not the worst idea in the world for the Cowboys to get on it. Apart from the trio, even head coach Mike McCarthy is in the final year of his contract. It feels like Jerry Jones is preparing for a transition season next year but the team is already in a state of flux.