Jerry Jones answers why Mike McCarthy hasn’t received contract extension

The Dallas Cowboys are never short on drama, and with NFL training camps now officially underway, there may be no team with more question marks looming than Jerry Jones and company.

From the literal top-down on the Cowboys coaching staff and roster, numerous "what ifs" loom large. One of those question marks is head coach Mike McCarthy, who has led the team to three consecutive 12-5 seasons. However, a lack of postseason success has left McCarthy without a new deal, and his contract is set to expire after this season.

So, what's the hold-up on McCarthy's future with the Cowboys? As Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News revealed, Jones had an initial two-word answer that fans surely want to leave in the past as his reasoning.

“Green Bay,” Jones said. “Mike has shown me that I want to have him and he’s qualified and he’s excellent and the players are excellent and he’s shown me that he could be our coach for years to come. He sits next to me in the draft. I really call on him a lot. If you can’t get along with Mike McCarthy, you can’t get along.”

While the Cowboys owner is never one to sugarcoat it, this was about as candid of an answer as he could have given. Jones is referencing the team's home playoff loss last season to the Packers, a game in which they trailed 27-7 at halftime and went on to lose 48-32. It was a shocking upset for a team that was 8-0 at home before that.

But along with McCarthy's future, even more significant concerns loom over the contracts for CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons. Lamb and Prescott are the two primarily under the microscope, as the star wideout is currently holding out of training camp while negotiating an extension.

As for Prescott, if the Cowboys do not agree to terms on a deal with the three-time Pro Bowler, they could risk losing him in free agency next summer and return to square one at the quarterback position.

While Jones may want to see playoff success before making key decisions on some of the team's biggest names, that may not be a realistic option. Whether the Cowboys get a deal done with their star quarterback and put pen to paper on a new deal for McCarthy will remain two of the biggest storylines and will take center stage if and when Lamb receives his new deal.

Ultimately, McCarthy's future may be tied to playoff success, but it would be a major surprise if Jones and company roll the dice and don't give Prescott a new deal before that time rolls around.