The Cowboys are used to being at the center of the NFL universe, but this offseason was busier than usual.
After a disappointing first-round home playoff exit to the Packers, Dallas had to navigate a few different storylines this offseason.
Star quarterback Dak Prescott was coming off the best season of his career but found his name in legal headlines while seeking a new contract. All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb missed almost all of training camp trying to negotiate a new deal, while stud edge rusher Micah Parsons floated the idea of an early retirement down the line.
Team owner Jerry Jones answered countless questions about contract extensions, but the Cowboys prevailed to prepare for the 2024 season.
Here's a round-up of everything that happened in Dallas this offseason.
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Cowboys offseason timeline
Dak Prescott's lawsuit thrown out
On June 26, a judge dismissed a lawsuit claiming sexual assault against Cowboys star quarterback Prescott.
In May, Dallas police said they found "insufficient evidence" to support the criminal case against Prescott. The case stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred in 2017, with a woman claiming Prescott assaulted her in the back of an SUV in a strip club parking lot.
The woman's attorneys stated that she was "willing to forego pursuing criminal charges, along with disclosing this information to the public, in exchange for compensating her for the mental anguish she has suffered," asking for $100 million.
Prescott's party filed a countersuit following the dismissal of the case, which remains active.
"Despite [the woman's] and her legal team's relentless efforts to extort money and damage Dak's reputation, justice has consistently prevailed and will continue to do so," Prescott's attorney, Levi McCathern, said in a statement, per ESPN's Todd Archer.
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Micah Parsons mentions consideration of early retirement
Parsons put a scare into the hearts of Cowboys fans when he floated the idea of an early retirement.
Only 25 years old, Parsons is still in the prime of his career. He is a two-time First Team All-Pro who has finished top three in Defensive Player of the Year voting in all three of his NFL seasons so far.
But Parsons' retirement comments were taken slightly out of context.
He mentioned on his podcast, "The Edge with Micah Parsons," that he was inspired by Jason Kelce's $100 million contract for the Kelce brother's "New Heights" podcast immediately after retirement.
Parsons doesn't plan on going anywhere until he wins his first Super Bowl.
"That’s why I want it early. I want it early. That’s why I say if I win a Super Bowl, I’ll never have to worry about anything ever in my life," Parsons said on "The Pivot Podcast."
"It’s different, bro. The names that hold so much weight in Dallas. It really blows my mind how much Michael Irvin still is a legend in Dallas. He walks the street like a god. I’ve never seen it like that, ever. I want it early. I need it bad.”
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CeeDee Lamb finally reaches contract extension
The Cowboys were in danger of starting the 2024 season without one of their most dangerous playmakers.
Star wide receiver Lamb spent almost the entire offseason holding out for a contract extension and those talks trickled late into the preseason.
On Aug. 26, Lamb finally got the deal he was looking for. He landed a four-year extension worth $136 million overall . He received $100 million in guarantees and a $38 million signing bonus — the largest in NFL history for a wide receiver.
Lamb's contract extension made him the second highest-paid wideout in football, only trailing Justin Jefferson's historic $140 million deal.
The 25-year-old earned every penny of his new contract, leading the NFL with 135 receptions to go with a career-high 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns to earn First Team All-Pro honors last season.
Jerry Jones says he's done with Dak Prescott, Mike McCarthy contract extension talks
Even with Lamb's contract negotiations done, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was still facing questions about other potential extensions coming down the line.
Prescott was runner-up for NFL MVP last season and only had one year remaining on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent next offseason. The same was true for head coach Mike McCarthy, who is also on an expiring contract this year.
"I won't be discussing anything at all about Dak's business or contract at this particular time," Jones said on Sept. 6 on his weekly radio spot. He also said similar about McCarthy, according to The Athletic's Jon Machota.
"I will say this, I couldn't be more satisfied with either one of them, at all. So, that's not the issue."
It looks like at least McCarthy will face a "prove-it" year in the 2024 season.
Dak Prescott signs record contract extension
With two games in the books and the Cowboys' first game of the year just hours from kickoff, Dallas had one major move left. Prescott signed a four-year, 240 million deal. Prescott becomes the highest-paid player in NFL history in terms of annual average value, and his $231 million guaranteed tops Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed $230 million deal.
With Lamb and Prescott locked up for the foreseeable future, the Cowboys can feel good about their offseason, even if they're still dealing with a significant injury in their secondary (DaRon Bland), depleted backfield led by Rico Dowdle and the returning Ezekiel Elliott, and questions about the future of their coach.
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