The Pittsburgh Steelers were the latest team to sign a star to a massive extension, coming to terms with T.J. Watt on a three-year, $123 million pact. As is always the case with extensions, they have a ripple effect around the league. Watt's ripple effect goes directly to the Dallas Cowboys, as Micah Parsons is still extension-less. And the Watt deal makes Parsons' negotiation even more challenging for the Cowboys.
Whenever a star signs a deal, the next star at the same position up for an extension will want an even bigger one. Now that Watt has his deal signed, Parsons, a fellow edge rusher with a bette resume of late, is going to want even more money.
To put it simply, the Cowboys had to see this outcome coming.
Jerry Jones' refusal to adapt will cost the Cowboys once again
Does this mean a Parsons deal won't go down? Absolutely not. It does, however, mean that his price tag is going to be higher than it could've been had the Cowboys simply been eager to get a deal done. Now, it is almost certain that Parsons will at least demand more money than Watt received, and the Watt deal is already the richest that a non-quarterback has ever signed. The Cowboys will likely keep their man, but it'd come at a cost they didn't have to pay.
That is on GM and owner Jerry Jones. He has constantly shown an unwillingness and/or inability to adapt to the times. For years, it's been the case that stars will always look to be paid more than the last guy to get an extension, and yet Jones refuses to be first to the table.
Just last year around this time, the Cowboys had CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott looking for extensions. They didn't agree to terms with Lamb until soon before the regular season began, and they didn't agree with Prescott until mere hours before their Week 1 matchup. As a result of the Cowboys' waiting, both Lamb and Prescott made more than they otherwise would've.
While waiting hasn't impacted the Cowboys' ability to extend their stars, it's forced them to cough up more money, which, in turn, makes it tougher for them to build a Super Bowl contender. This would be completely avoidable if Jones were willing to sign an extension before other teams agreed to terms with similar stars. Cowboys fans hope that Jones will adapt the next time one of their stars needs to get paid, but judging by his history, that outcome is unlikely.