Cowboys contracts update: Stephen Jones says talks with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb are 'cordial, upbeat'

Contract talks with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott hadn't yet begun in earnest the week of the 2024 NFL Draft at the end of April, but negotiations are certainly heating up now.

Cowboys COO Stephen Jones indicated conversations with both Prescott, the NFL's 2023 passing touchdowns leader (36), and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb , the NFL's 2023 receptions leader (135), as both enter the final year of their current contracts in 2024 are heating up.

"Right now the ball is in [Dak's] court and we're waiting to hear from them," Jones said on 94.1 FM "San Antonio's Sports Star" on Monday, via The Athletic. "They understand that the ball is in their court."

Lamb's negotiations seem to have more activity, which makes sense given he could still be franchise-tagged next offseason if a deal is not struck. Prescott's possesses a no-franchise-tag clause and a no-trade clause in his current deal, his second NFL contract. However, there is hope both deals can get done in the near future.

"We keep having multiple exchanges with CeeDee," Jones said. "He actually sent us something late [Sunday]. We continue to grind away on it. I would characterize both negotiations as very cordial and upbeat. We're optimistic we'll continue to work toward getting something done."

Jones reiterated his father Jerry Jones', the Cowboys owner and general manager, message that he believes Prescott won't be playing his final year with Dallas in 2024. The younger Jones still feels this way despite Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love resetting the positional market on Friday with a four-year, $220 million deal that gives him an NFL-high $55 million average per year salary after one full season as the Packers' starting quarterback. On Saturday, the elder Jones ducked a question about whether or not Prescott was better than Love, who threw the second-most passing touchdowns in the NFL in 2023.

"We think in terms of being real positive that we're gonna get this [contract] done," Stephen Jones said. "We don't picture Dak in another uniform at all. We do believe that the worm is going to turn, and he's gonna win a championship for us."