Even All-Pro Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons has taken the league to task on this one. He’s reportedly unhappy with the lack of progress on his long-term contract with the team. Since joining the Cowboys, Parsons has certainly had a huge impact on the game. After addressing reporters during a practice session on Monday, he wasn’t shy in expressing his own frustrations and discouragement. He joined in the effort to hold a tackling dummy. His lack of involvement was due to some back tightness he’s been working through.
In the freewheeling conversation, Parsons spoke openly about the climate of contract bargaining in the franchise’s past. He emphasized that he does not take the situation personally, noting, “When there’s a chain of events of things consistently happening over the course of years here, you’ve kind of seen it before so you don’t take it personally.” He further clarified that he understands the business aspect of the NFL and remarked, “If they don’t want me here, they don’t want me here and I’ll go about my business.”
Over the past two seasons Parsons has solidified his reputation as one of the best defensive players in the NFL. In his first four years, he recorded an incredible 52.5 sacks. This remarkable accomplishment places him in elite company alongside legends such as Reggie White, Derrick Thomas, J.J. Watt, and DeMarcus Ware since 1982. Notably, he and Reggie White are the only players to achieve at least 12 sacks in each of their first four seasons. Even with missing four games last year due to an ankle sprain, Parsons still managed to total 12 sacks.
The current negotiations have been taking place against the backdrop of comparisons to other, similarly high-profile players across the league. As Parsons pointed out, T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers just got a huge deal. He pointed to Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns receiving a comparable deal. He stated, “When you go around the league and you see these other teams taking care of their best guys, I seen T.J. Watt gotten taken care of. Myles Garrett got taken care of, and he’s got two years left on his deal.”
In March, Parsons met with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and team executives in the war room at The Star. They had serious conversations about his future with the organization. He ordered the Cowboys to contact his agent David Mulugheta. They will be the ones to manage any future offers or negotiations. As of this writing, neither Jerry Jones nor Stephen Jones has gotten in touch with Mulugheta.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding his contract situation, Parsons remains committed to the Cowboys and is focused on performing at his best. He stated, “I feel like I’m the best at what I do,” underscoring his confidence in his abilities on the field.
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, a teammate, was quick to second Parsons’ assertion about Pollard deserving a new contract. “He’s the best player in the NFL, like, why wouldn’t you pay him?” Diggs remarked, adding to the conversation around Parsons’ value to the team.
As training camp quickly approaches, Parsons trains and enjoys life but balances these interesting, difficult negotiations. Just look at his in-game performance on the field … and it’s not even close. With his proven production, he’ll undoubtedly be an immediate complementary playmaker for the Cowboys as they look to get back to championship form in 2023.
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