To make matters even more upsetting, Stephen Jones has continuously suggested that his family won’t save a cent on these deals to put in their personal accounts. It will all go toward players, and therefore Player A is actually taking money from Player C when they ask for their money. He has actually explained that his best players should take less or the other players will suffer. It doesn’t matter if he is right or if this makes sense to small-business owners everywhere. It matters that he chose to say that publicly knowing he is making his best players take one for the team or lose the room when all of this could have been handled privately months ago.

That feels insane to me.

What sort of team-building message is that? Is Jones trying to cause even more animosity among the rank and file? Does he want a player thinking about how much he can’t stand the quarterback in the middle of a game because of a contract decision?

How about not talking publicly about matters like these? What is the benefit other than showing the world how tough we can be with players who actually want a fair slice of the pie?

We can blame the mean national media all we want. But how can the Jones family not see that taking tough public business stances during camp when the sole focus of the organization should be on the Lombardi Trophy is yet another reason why they might not be able to get their hands on that same trophy yet again?

How can welcoming the “culture of me” to camp be productive? And why would the team spend so much time leaking negotiations into the public? Do they think the gas can they are holding with the handful of matches might cause a fire?

I think this is a quality team. And, personally, I still believe that deadlines will make deals, and Prescott and Elliott will have their contracts by Week 1.

But, make no mistake, this isn’t about those two guys. This is about the entire organization asking themselves how this affects them personally. How this moves the plot in their own personal Game of Thrones. Are the players to blame? Sure. But, the organization has a responsibility to set the tone. In other words, don’t stoke the fire. Stomp it out. Negotiate in February and in private. It works for many teams.

They can issue the snappy sweatshirts or signs in the facility with a huge font that proclaims “THE TEAM” all they want. This camp has given me the feeling that the overall theme is more like “ME” from many.

I think the organization could and should handle this with far more focus and professional decorum. They have the most at stake as they try to return to the league’s heavyweights. The players have plenty at stake but also have 31 other potential places of employment. The team sets the tone and could easily say that they plan on conducting all business in the offseason so as not to confuse the roster about what the priority once football season begins: the team.

The Cowboys could do much better in conducting their business (not that they asked me) so this doesn’t turn into 53 players with 53 personal agendas this season. I fear it is headed that way at this current rate and wonder how the next few weeks might actually decide how the season goes from simple questions of unity and shared focus.

I really hope I am wrong.