The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to long summers of heated contract disputes. For the second year in a row, team owner Jerry Jones is engaged in rollercoaster negotiations with a star player — Micah Parsons this time around.
Last year, it was quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb at the table. Both players ultimately received their deals, but it took until the last day before the regular season began to lock both players in. Now it’s Dallas's star linebacker, Parsons, asking for a new deal.
Since being selected with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Parsons has compiled 52.5 sacks, 256 tackles, nine forced fumbles and 112 quarterback hits. The 25-year-old ranked among the top three in pass rush win rate in each of the past two seasons, per ESPN Analytics. For now, Parsons is cooperating with the process. The fourth-year linebacker was in attendance for the first day of the Cowboys’ voluntary offseason program on Monday.
Dak Prescott has no solution to help Micah Parsons in negotiations with Jerry Jones
While speaking with reporters at the Children's Cancer Fund gala last week, Prescott was asked about any advice he may have for his teammate as he navigates negotiations with Jones and Co.
"I don't have the full answer for it or I think all of mine would've been done a lot earlier than they were," Prescott said with a laugh. "For him, just stay positive. Understand and make sure that his team knows what he wants and what he believes."
Prescott clearly isn’t a fan of negotiating with Jones, who has a propensity for showmanship and generating headlines. Dallas has mismanaged a lot of their contract negotiations, and even deals that get signed often involve public spats, leaked stories and months of animosity.
Prescott has negotiated two long-term deals with Jones, and neither came easily. The first deal took nearly two years and saw the quarterback get franchised tagged in back-to-back years before a deal was hashed out. The last deal was signed a day before the 2024 season began.
Parsons is entering the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which would pay him $24 million this upcoming season. Instead, Parsons is likely looking to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history — a title that’s currently held by Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase at $40.25 million annually. Spotrac’s market value estimations project Parsons to fall short of that figure with a four-year, $145.2 million contract, which comes out to $36.3 million annually.