Cowboys stress negotiating three massive contracts will take time - ESPN

OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys are not asking for sympathy when it comes to their negotiations with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, but they would like some understanding and they would like time.

«We have a very unique situation,» executive vice president Stephen Jones said. «We have a quarterback, who played at the top of his game last year, second in MVP voting, who can leave [after this season]. And then we've got two players who can't leave… We could sign one of them and both of them — rightfully so — believe they should be the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league. And totally respect that. So very difficult situations that we're trying to work through with them. They want to win. They want to put a ring on their finger, and they understand the difficult situation we have.»

The Cowboys held their first training camp practice Thursday without Lamb, their All-Pro receiver, who remains in Houston, working out as he awaits his contract. Prescott and Parsons were on hand, but there's not a guarantee either will be in Oxnard, California, next summer for training camp.

Prescott will be a free agent next March. Parsons will be entering the fifth-year option of his rookie deal if he does not sign an extension before then and could follow Lamb's holdout plan.

While it might feel tenuous to those outside of the organization, it doesn't to coach Mike McCarthy, who is also entering a contract year.

«That's not the way we're wired,» McCarthy said, adding, «We're energized by what's in front of us.»

If Lamb, who is due $17.99 million this year on the fifth-year option, and Parsons, who is under contractual control through 2025, are seeking deals that would make them the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the