Extension Talks Between Cowboys, Micah Parsons Have Not Started

Cowboys outside linebacker Micah Parsons has been extremely vocal about wanting to remain in Dallas under an extended contract, especially over the last three months. In what has become typical Cowboys fashion, though, talks between the two parties have not started, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.

To be clear, this seems to directly conflict with a report from just over a week ago from the team’s website, following a meeting between Parsons and team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones. After the meeting, Parsons stated that the talks went well and that “there’s definitely a plan in place.” The more recent report from Watkins seems to indicate that Jones and company didn’t take Parsons’ plan as seriously as Parsons did.

Typically, as Watkins points out, team officials will wait for the NFL Scouting Combine to start contract talks with players’ agents. While Parsons and Jones met in the building where Parsons laid out his expectations for what the team’s website called “an exceptionally complex and lucrative contract,” it appears the source with knowledge of the situation communicating with Watkins is indicating that those preliminary talks were just window dressing until the real talks with Parsons’ agents can begin.

This continues a worrying trend wherein Jones and the Cowboys seem to be operating with no sense of urgency. Waiting to secure extensions for quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb last year cost the Cowboys millions as other players around the league set new markets at the same positions with their own extensions. Jones’ baffling decision to let former head coach Mike McCarthy‘s contract expire instead of firing him earlier not only gave every other team with an opening a head start on interviewing and hiring replacement head coaches, but he also allowed the assistant coaches’ contracts to expire. When he eventually promoted offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to the top position, the new head coach was unable to retain many of his assistants from 2024 as they had already started to explore other opportunities following the expiration of their deals.

In addition, not only have the Cowboys seemingly not been working night and day to retain their best defensive player (perhaps their best player overall) on a long-term deal, but there have also been internal discussions about trading the star pass rusher. With how unabashed Parsons has been about wanting to stay in Dallas, it’s truly stunning to see the Cowboys continue to slow play the situation and explore other options.

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