It’s been a massively disappointing season for the Dallas Cowboys.
The team had Super Bowl aspirations coming into the year, after making the playoffs the last three seasons. However, injuries have marred a team that is now on the outside looking in at the postseason picture.
On top of losing quarterback Dak Prescott to season-ending hamstring surgery, Dallas also had significant injuries to Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Samuel Williams, DeMarvion Overshown, Trevon Diggs, and Zack Martin.
With the team sitting at 6-8 and a long shot to make the playoffs, attention is turning to next year and what the Cowboys will do about Parsons’ contract.
The All-Pro linebacker is still on his rookie deal, as the Cowboys exercised the fifth-year option for $21.4 million for 2025. With his contract nearing an end, fans are getting anxious about when Dallas will sign Parsons to a mega-extension and make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL.
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Micah Parsons sounds off about Dallas Cowboys future
While speaking to reporters Thursday, Parsons made it known that he wants to get an extension done before free agency begins in March, but he did not give an ultimatum.
“I’m going to try and work with them as much as possible to help them attack free agency,” Parsons told ESPN’s Todd Archer. “I want to be back with this team. This offseason, I want to be here. I want to get these guys right. I want to take big steps, so hopefully it can be done sooner than later so we can attack the offseason.”
Parsons once again stated he doesn’t need to be the highest-paid defensive player, a distinction that currently belongs to San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa at $34 million per year.
“I think I’m the best player in the world. I don’t throw numbers out there like that,” Parsons said. “I’ll see what they’re willing to give me.
“It would be nice to be surrounded by good players. Players that will help me win championships, I’ll say that. To me, having $40 million and being chipped every play and slid into three, four people, that doesn’t sound too fun to me.”
Micah Parsons says he doesn’t need Cowboys to pay him $40M or to become NFL’s highest-paid defensive player.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) December 19, 2024
“It would be nice to be surrounded by good players. Players are going to help you win championships. I want to keep as many guys as possible. … I want to work with them.” pic.twitter.com/XvmROc6dWj
The Cowboys have made Prescott the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL and CeeDee Lamb the second-highest-paid wide receiver.
According to ESPN’s Archer, getting a long-term extension done with Parsons would leave the Cowboys in a better salary-cap position by lowering Parsons’ $21.4 million figure for next season.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has repeatedly said they will not trade Parsons and that the All-Pro’s future remains in Dallas.
Over 60 games in four seasons, Parsons has recorded 49 sacks, eight forced fumbles, 59 tackles for loss, and 108 quarterback hits.
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