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“NFL-Being Jerry Jones-Not Easy At Least Today”

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He owns America’s team.

He built Jerry’s World, the mammoth and profitable football stadium in North Dallas.

He won Super Bowls years ago with Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer.

He may have as good a team as anyone else in the NFL right now.

He has salary cap problems too.

The Dallas Cowboys, who have always had big money players, have a problem now in that all their stars contracts are coming up at the same time.

Would not be difficult for one of the richest owners in the modern day NFL, but it is a problem, because of the NFL salary cap.

Jones has a history of restructuring contracts to come with the bookkeeping cash to get his star players signed, but even this becomes a challenge. It’s just not dollar values, it’s the number of players he must take care of, and the number of players who might have to give up money to get other guys signed.

It’s not just about average salary, but it’s about huge signing bonus money and guaranteed years beyond the first seasons of new deals.

So many to renegotiate, because he has so many he must sign, now and then tomorrow.

A look at what ‘Jerra’ is dealing with in and around Valley Ranch.

EZEKIAL ELLIOTT…..He’s had 3-tremendous heavy duty-big time performance seasons, and has outplayed his rookie contract. But he still has 2-years left on his current deal, that pays him (3.9M) this season and (9.9M) next season. He wants top dollar, and that means (14M) a year, equal to, or just above, Todd Gurley-Rams..David Johnson-Arizona…Le’Veon Bell-Jets.

DAK PRESCOTT….The quarterback’s contract ends after this season, and he has played well. Maybe the best term is, played ‘efficient’. But he wants to be paid top dollar, and few people want to mention his name in the same sentence with Russell Wilson (35M), Aaron Rodgers (33M), Matt Ryan (30M), Tom Brady (23M), Ben Roethlisberger (34M), Drew Brees (25M), or Philip Rivers (20M). He rejected what might have been a (30M) per year deal because there was not a lot of guaranteed money beyond year two in the contract offer. Not even sure he is worth (30M) a year.

AMARI COOPER….When I first saw him coming out of Alabama to the Raiders, I flashed back to Michael Irvin and the Cowboys in his early years. But bad teams and nagging injuries, have lessened the star value of Cooper over the last three years. Is he worth Julio Jones-Atlanta type money (20M), very debatable?

DE MARCUS LAWRENCE….They franchise tagged the defensive end this year at (14M) so there is that contract to deal with a year from now too, and if they tag him next season, his number goes north of (18M).

JAYLON SMITH….Lost in all the conversation in Dallas is the emergence of a star linebacker, whose contract has to be dealt with next year. It took him two years to recover from a catastrophic knee injury at Notre Dame, but what a breakout season last year, and a payday due next year. Can you say (14M) next year.

BYRON JONES…A young cornerback who is already outplaying his current contract, and will be in line for big dollars the same year Smith’s contract comes up. Use the term (12M) when talking about him a year from now.

Oh to be Jerry Jones, walking thru his Taj Mahal Stadium, the celebrity status, the women, the fans, the wealth. This will be fun watching what he does to solve this Rubik Cube of contract issues.

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