Under one week away from training camp, the Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons have yet to reach a contract extension. And naturally, things are starting to heat up.
On Thursday, an interview from Micah Parsons emerged in which he criticized the Cowboys front office for dragging out negotiations and said: “You can’t want us to take less because you just decided to wait.”
Later the same day, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed star edge rusher T.J. Watt to a record deal making him the highest-paid non-quarterback at $41 million per year. Parsons is expected to break the record again when he signs his deal, presumably once training camp is under way.
Watt signing his deal leaves the Cowboys with no excuses though. Last year, when discussing pending deals for CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, owner Jerry Jones claimed to like “letting the leaves fall.” That meant letting other deals play out in the market before making a move. Lamb didn’t receive an extension until Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson paved the way with his own deal.
Now that Myles Garrett and Watt have their deals, it’s clear what the number will look like for Parsons and Dallas. It’s likely going to exceed $42 million and it’s also likely to be longer. Watt signed a three-year extension but he’s turning 31 years old in October. Meanwhile, Parsons just turned 26 and is expected to seek a five-year deal worth over $200 million.
Right now, there’s no point in waiting. The Cowboys can choose to expedite the negotiations so Parsons can be on the field in training camp instead of holding out or “holding in.” That is attending but not practicing. Last year, Prescott and Lamb admitted early season struggles had to do with lack of chemistry.
While Parsons doesn’t play in tandem with others like quarterbacks and wide receivers do, it will still affect the team if he’s not working out with the team early on. Dalla has dragged out negotiations before and never reaps financial benefits off of it. So why wait? Right now, there’s no excuse. It’s time to get the deal done.
