Even if a future accord is reached, Micah Parsons initiated a formal disagreement with the organization earlier this year concerning his compensation for 2025.
According to reports from both Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins, Parsons launched a claim during the initial part of this year regarding his fifth-year optional earnings with the Cowboys. Parsons contends that his earnings for the approaching season should amount to $24 million. On the other hand, both the Cowboys and the NFL have earmarked his earnings to be $21.324 million.
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season]
While the disparity may seem minimal, especially when considering the magnitude of the potential extension he’s pursuing, the core issue revolves around his designated position. Although listed as a defensive end, Parsons perceives himself as a linebacker, a role in which he has garnered accolades – notably, the Rookie of the Year award in 2021. The earnings for fifth-year options are determined by positions and the one in which players “participated in the most plays during his third league year,” thereby contributing to the almost $3 million variance.
Throughout the entire offseason, Parsons has been pursuing a new contract, and even requested a team transfer to underscore his stance, as dialogues with the Cowboys seemingly remain stagnant. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones communicated that he presented Parsons with record-setting financial terms in March in an apparent verbal agreement. However, Jones mentioned that Parsons’ representative declined the arrangement. Jones has articulated explicitly that he has no intentions of yielding to Parsons’ request for a transfer and anticipates his presence when the squad commences the regular season versus the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4.
Parsons has convincingly demonstrated his capabilities as a premier defensive player in the league in recent seasons. He has logged a minimum of 12 sacks in each season and accumulated 43 total tackles last year in a mere 13 games while contending with an ankle injury. Parsons’ involvement in practice remains restricted, partly due to a back ailment. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated this week that Parsons might encounter a tempered workload as he seeks to progressively “increase his activity” early in the season.
Once more, this disagreement might be rendered inconsequential should Parsons and the Cowboys establish a revised accord. Furthermore, the distinction between linebackers and edge rushers or defensive ends remains relatively subtle, potentially amplifying the complexity of the disagreement on all fronts.
Nevertheless, this instance serves as another illustration of the escalating friction between Parsons and the Cowboys during this offseason. With their season-opening match merely a little over a week away, this development does not bode well.
