Jerry Jones has made an odd point of communicating directly with Micah Parsons throughout the superstar pass rusher’s contract negotiations, fairly than taking the usual step of going through an agent. The Cowboys’ approach this offseason has irked Parsons to the purpose he became the rare Dallas player to request a trade.
Parsons outlined numerous issues with Jones’ tactics as he made the request, but he stays at Cowboys camp as a de facto hold-in. Despite Parsons’ presence, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer notes he and Jones haven’t spoken because the trade request. Jones and Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, have also not spoken because the trade ask emerged last week.
Although Jones described his stance as “urgent” regarding this Parsons matter, his actions don’t align with that. The Thirty seventh-year owner said this past weekend Cowboys fans shouldn’t lose sleep over this standoff. The Cowboys don’t intend to trade Parsons, but they seem no closer to extending him.
Because it stands, the longtime owner/GM is just not guaranteeing Parsons suits up for the Cowboys in Week 1. That also seems the probably final result, but this example has veered off target in comparison with where the Cowboys were with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb last yr. Even the 2019 Ezekiel Elliott holdout, resolved days before that season, didn’t result in a trade request.
“No, absolutely not,” Jones said of guaranteeing Parsons will debut with the Cowboys in Philadelphia. “A giant a part of that’s his decision. How would I do know that?”
Jones and Parsons conducted extension talks this offseason. The parties disagreed over whether those were considered formal discussions, with Parsons preferring the Cowboys undergo his agent. Unless a player is representing himself, agents negotiate contracts. So far, nevertheless, the Cowboys have only communicated with Mulugheta through exec Adam Prasifka. Days before Parsons’ trade request, negotiations were said to be going backward. Mulugheta reaching out to COO Stephen Jones didn’t result in negotiations, in line with Parsons, who added in his request the Cowboys haven’t contacted his camp for negotiations since Mulugheta’s overture went nowhere with ownership.
The Cowboys’ negotiating trends have baffled many, as Parsons’ price has undoubtedly risen since 2024 and throughout this offseason — as dominoes fell on the EDGE market. Parsons said the Cowboys told him last yr they desired to do a deal in 2025. Timeline-wise, this example resembles Lamb’s as a result of the All-Pro wide receiver being unsigned to open training camp ahead of a fifth-year option season. Lamb’s deal didn’t come to pass until August 26, 2024. Lamb also held out and was not keen on a 2023 extension. That separates the WR’s saga from Parsons’, because the All-Pro defensive end said he was able to talk terms before his fourth season.
With the Cowboys understandably prioritizing Lamb and Prescott — who each were entering contract years — over a player signed through the 2025 season, they’ve seen Parsons’ price rise. Parsons expressed confusion on the Cowboys’ hesitancy at multiple points this offseason. Jones did say, via Archer, he offered Parsons “a hell of so much greater than you’re thinking that I did.” The owner also referenced a guarantee of “almost $200MM.”
That total wouldn’t stand to reflect a full guarantee, and a $200MM guarantee of any sort would point to the Cowboys reverting to their preference of a longer-term deal. Term length was reported to be a sticking point in these talks, as players are preferring shorter-term contracts amid annual cap spikes. No current defensive player is guaranteed greater than $123MM (Myles Garrett). T.J. Watt‘s $108MM fully guaranteed — on a three-year deal — leads the pack in that more essential category.
Opening their season on a Thursday night in Philly, the Cowboys have a bit less time than they did once they went all the way down to the wire with Prescott last yr. Tied to a $24MM fifth-year option salary, Parsons would lose weekly game checks value roughly $1.41MM if he sat out. Excepting the 1993 Emmitt Smith situation (when the Hall of Fame running back missed two games amid a contract dispute), the Jones-era Cowboys have a track record for ending these negotiations. How they go about getting there continues to generate confusion.