By Blessing 
The Dallas Cowboys made some financial headway this offseason, restructuring the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott and star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to free up much-needed salary cap space. But while fans might hope that extra money goes toward bringing in new talent, it looks like a good chunk of it might be used just to retain the key pieces they already have.
One of the biggest looming expenses? Micah Parsons. The dynamic edge rusher is not only young and incredibly talented—he’s already proven himself as one of the league’s elite. In fact, he’s in a position to potentially reset the market for non-quarterbacks. That bar was just raised again when Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase inked a four-year, $161 million extension, averaging $40.25 million annually.
But it’s not just Parsons who will require serious attention from the Cowboys’ front office. As ESPN’s Todd Archer pointed out on March 23, several other crucial contributors are approaching payday.
“First-rounder Tyler Smith, a Pro Bowl guard, has his fifth-year option for 2026 at a cost of $21.27 million,” Archer wrote. “Smith went to North Crowley High School in Fort Worth. This is home. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2023 and has been in the past two Pro Bowls. Despite having played three seasons, he turns only 24 next month. He is the perfect cornerstone to build the offensive line around, now that Zack Martin has retired.”
Along with Smith, tight end Jake Ferguson and cornerback DaRon Bland are also due for extensions. Both players are entering the final year of their rookie contracts in 2025, and Dallas will need to make some strategic decisions to keep their young core intact.
“In a perfect world, the Cowboys would sign all four to extensions before the season starts, although recent history says that won’t happen,” Archer noted. “Getting at least one or two of them signed would be a good start.”
With so many rising stars to pay, the Cowboys are facing some tough choices—balancing talent retention with the dream of building a championship-caliber roster.