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Free agency hasn't even begun yet, but the Dallas Cowboys have already done something fans haven't been accustomed to in recent years: they have made moves to prepare their roster for changes with time to spare. It has been a common theme in the last few years that the Cowboys have particularly enjoyed waiting to make big decisions.
That came to a head last season, when Jerry Jones took until late August to hand CeeDee Lamb a big contract extension, then waited until hours before their first game kicked off in order to do the same for Dak Prescott. Jones was criticized heavily after the Cowboys' season went off the rails, with many analysts calling him out for dragging out contract negotiations in order to stay relevant in the media spotlight.
Cowboys give Osa Odighizuwa new contract and restructure CeeDee Lamb's
Heading into 2025, though, something may have changed in Jones' approach. Instead of letting standout defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa test the free agency waters, the Cowboys handed him a four-year, $80 million contract on Tuesday.
Jones and the front office didn't stop there, though. An hour or so after the Odighizuwa news, word came out that the team had restructured Lamb's contract in order to create $20 million of salary cap space.
These moves should allow the Cowboys to be more flexible in free agency than they have been in recent seasons. Co-owner Stephen Jones had mentioned that the front office wanted to be "selectively aggressive" this offseason. They are on their way to giving themselves the chance to be just that.
There won't be any drawn out contract negotiations just yet, although Micah Parsons is still hoping to get something done soon. If this new approach for the Jones' is real, then a deal with Parsons shouldn't take too long.