3 Cowboys who deserve a new deal after Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb contracts

The Dallas Cowboys have given out some massive contracts over the last handful of weeks, making starting quarterback Dak Prescott the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL and CeeDee Lamb one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in league history. Of course, the next question is obvious: Who's next?

The Cowboys have a handful of notable players whose contract situations are going to be worth monitoring over the next 12 months, including superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons, who is the most obvious candidate for this category. As such, Parsons will not be included, so don't be surprised when he's not on the list.

Beyond just Parsons, though, which Cowboys players could be next in line for some impressive deals to stick around with what is being built right now in Dallas?

3 extensions Cowboys should prioritize after Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb contracts

1. DT Osa Odighizuwa

Although the attention obviously (and understandably) gets placed on pass rusher Micah Parsons, the Dallas Cowboys have another weapon on the defensive front in interior lineman Osa Odighizuwa, a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of UCLA.

Odighizuwa has really developed into a stud for the Cowboys, which we were all reminded of when he had three tackles and a QB hit in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

Odighizuwa has 9.0 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, and 36 QB hits (and counting) since coming into the league and has been a model of durability. There's no doubt that he's become a core piece of the Cowboys' defense and as the 2024 season progresses, I think we're going to see him really entrench himself as a must-have going forward for the organization. He's coming off of a career-best 10 QB knockdowns in the 2023 season.

2. DE DeMarcus Lawrence

One of the Cowboys' longtime staples at this point is pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. Lawrence, despite getting up there in age, is still one of those players the Cowboys will want to hold onto beyond this season.

Nobody needs a repeat of the DeMarcus Ware situation...

Lawrence was an absolute menace in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns, racking up four QB hits, two sacks, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a whopping seven pressures. If he keeps that kind of production up -- even a fraction of it -- over the course of the season, the Cowboys will have no choice but to get him back on a new deal. He is set to hit free agency after this season, so why not nip this in the bud instead of letting it drag out to March?

3. LG Tyler Smith, left guard

The Cowboys do have some time to figure this one out as Smith was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft class, but this is a situation they might want to be proactive with and not reactive.

The interior offensive lineman market is heating up as NFL teams adjust to having to deal with so many dynamic players on the interior defensive line. Because Smith has emerged as one of the top left guards in the game, the Cowboys might be wise to pay him at the current market value instead of waiting for the price to go up to something even more absurd.

And right now, interior linemen are making upwards of $20 million or more in average annual value. It's a lot, but the Cowboys having a left tackle on a rookie deal helps them justify that spending.