NFL Analyst Rips Jerry Jones for Thinking Superstar Prices Drop Over Time – Sports Illustrated

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It seems as though every offseason is the same with Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones. He can't help but hog the headlines by making decisions that no one understands.
This has become especially true with contract negotiations. Jones took his time getting deals done with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb in 2024, even leading to a holdout from Lamb. This past season, he refused to work with Micah Parsons' agent, David Mulugheta, leading to a shocking trade.
Now in 2026, Jones is again making a superstar player wait. George Pickens had a breakout season in 2025 and earned an extension in the process. So far, the Cowboys have used the franchise tag on Pickens, but Jones is again dragging his feet on a long-term extension.
That approach led to sharp criticism from Kevin Clark, who says Jones is the "only person on the planet" who operates under the belief that a player's salary could be lower if they wait.
"Jerry Jones is the only person on the planet who seems to think the cost of superstars goes down the longer you wait."@bykevinclark on the Cowboys negotiations with WR George Pickens. pic.twitter.com/pt3YLyUOrq
"And this is the annual July and August Jerry Jones spectacular. Jim, that's what it is, man. That's what it is. We traded for George Pickens last year. I said two great things for Jerry Jones. Number one, he gets one of the best vertical receivers in football. And number two, he gets a contract drama a year from right now, which is, by the way, happening as we speak," Clark said.
"George Pickens is a big personality. He's going to want to get paid. He's earned the right to get paid. But Jerry Jones is the only person on the planet who seems to think the cost of superstars goes down the longer you wait. He always does this. He loves the drama. This will get done. But in the meantime, it'll give a lot of ammo for you and I and everybody on daily talk shows to ask what the heck Jerry Jones is doing. And it will cost them money, and it's the reason the Eagles win, and the Cowboys don't."
What's most frustrating is how often Jones allows other extensions to increase his players' asking price. In 2024, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson each signed deals before Lamb could.
At quarterback, deals for Joe Burrow of the Bengals and Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars helped push the market to $55 million-plus per season, leading to Prescott commanding $60 million per year.
In 2025, the Cleveland Browns gave Myles Garrett a massive extension, pushing Parsons' asking price up in the process.
This year, it's happened again with Jaxon Smith-Njigba signing a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension with the Seattle Seahawks. His $42.5 million annual average will give Pickens a lot more fuel than he would have had if Jones had acted with more urgency.
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Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.
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