Star pass-rusher Micah Parsons raised some eyebrows when he recently told Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports that the Dallas Cowboys waiting to give Parsons a contract extension to his liking is "going to cost them more" in the long run.
Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns reset the market for sack specialists when he signed a four-year, $160M extension that included $123.5M guaranteed earlier this offseason after he made it known in February he wanted to be traded. On Sunday, Garrett spoke with Abby Jones of DLLS about Parsons' contract saga that continued into the Cowboys' summer break.
"I think he deserves whatever he's earned," Garrett said, as shared by Kevin Patra of the NFL's website. "I mean, the guy is special. Once I got the chance to train with him, I've seen his work ethic, I've seen how he attacks the weights, running. He's 100 percent committed to his craft and getting better every day, and [he's] someone who produces on the field and has that dedication to the game. He should get every penny he's owed."
Parsons is in the final year of his rookie contract but nevertheless attended Dallas' mandatory minicamp even though there's no sign the two parties are close to finalizing any agreement. Per The Athletic, Parsons indicated that he could "hold in" and participate only in individual drills during training camp if he doesn't sign an extension before those practice sessions begin.
Unlike Parsons, T.J. Watt stayed away from the Pittsburgh Steelers through their mandatory minicamp that wrapped up on June 12 amid his desire for an extension that will include a pay raise. Watt reportedly is serious "about being at the top of the market," which suggests his expected deal could increase the value of Parsons' extension depending on when the contracts are signed.
Last year, Dallas didn't sign wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott to lucrative extensions until late in the summer. News about Prescott's deal only broke hours before the Cowboys opened their 2024 season with a matchup at the Cleveland Browns.
One would think first-year Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer would want team owner and general manager Jerry Jones to lock Parsons down via an extension before training camp gets underway. Jones clearly isn't eager to trade Parsons, but it remains to be seen if the 26-year-old will do his employer any favors in contract negotiations over the next month or so.
