For reasons only Jerry Jones can explain, Micah Parsons is still without his desired contract extension. By waiting, the Dallas Cowboys have not only cost themselves millions of dollars, but they've alienated arguably their best player to the point where he has demanded a trade away from Dallas. It's probably unlikely Dallas takes the request seriously, and there's probably a good chance they agree to a deal with Parsons, but until that happens, the 26-year-old isn't going to be practicing or playing in the preseason.
Is this the end of the world at first glance? Not really. Parsons has established himself as one of, if not the best edge rusher in the sport, and nothing he does in the preseason or in practices will change that reality.
With that being said, while Parsons' game is nothing short of elite, the Cowboys risk Parsons' health even if he stays.
Cowboys risk Micah Parsons' health by dragging out contract negotiations
Ultimately, this theory comes down to when the Cowboys will come to their senses and pay Parsons. If they do so sooner rather than later, Parsons will have ample time to ramp up and be 100 percent ready for regular season action. If they wait until the last second as they've been known to do and continue to show signs of being prepared to do with Parsons, they risk having him start the regular season before he's actually physically ready to. If and when that happens, Parsons could end up suffering some sort of injury.
I'm not here to say that a holdout is why CeeDee Lamb — another player the Cowboys waited far too long to pay last season - played in a career-low 15 games and dealt with a nagging shoulder injury for much of the year, but it probably didn't help.
Parsons has been able to stay mostly healthy throughout his NFL career, but was limited to just 13 games last season, missing time with a high ankle sprain. It goes without saying that if the Cowboys want to improve following last season's down year, they'll need Parsons on the field for all 17 games.
Cowboys gain nothing by prolonging Micah Parsons contract extension
Why are the Cowboys dragging things out at this point? What do they have to gain as of this point other than headlines, especially given their reluctance to trade him?
The answer is nothing. Parsons will only grow to be more frustrated by the day, Parsons probably won't be as sharp whenever he's able to return, and, of course, the chance of injury increases if he doesn't practice at all. Cowboys fans can only hope that a deal comes to fruition sooner rather than later, but with Jones running the show, that probably isn't realistic.