Reporter shares whether Cowboys would pay star WR before QB Dak Prescott

Would the Dallas Cowboys pay wide receiver CeeDee Lamb instead of quarterback Dak Prescott?

Lamb and Prescott are entering the final years of their contracts. Meanwhile, two years remain on edge-rusher Micah Parsons' rookie deal. In a column exploring when/if the Cowboys will extend the stars, The Athletic's Saad Yousuf predicted Lamb — who has held out of the team's offseason program — would receive a new deal before Prescott or Parsons. 

"Of the three contracts in question for the Cowboys, Lamb's is the most likely to get done before training camp [which starts on July 23]," wrote Yousuf. "There are the least amount of questions with Lamb. There could be some discussion about a wide receiver's value if there's uncertainty for the future at quarterback, but Lamb will be an asset for years to come, whether it's for Prescott or his successor."

Considering QB is the most important position, it would be surprising if Dallas extended Lamb before Prescott. Plus, the Cowboys don't have a viable replacement on their roster. 

QB Trey Lance, whom Dallas traded a fourth-round pick for in 2023, didn't play last season. In two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, the former first-rounder completed 54.9 percent of his passes in eight games, which doesn't inspire confidence.

The problem, though, could be the potential price for a Prescott deal. Yousuf notes it could be around $55M per year, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. That's a lot for a passer who hasn't led his team to an NFC title game.

After Minnesota's Justin Jefferson recently became the highest-paid WR in the league (four years, $140M), Lamb probably wants similar compensation. It's easy to argue the 25-year-old deserves it after leading the league in receptions (135 in 17 games) last season.