Micah Parsons’ contract tussle with the Dallas Cowboys is starting to enter dangerous waters. Despite openly talking about the possibility of an extension, no deal has been reached, and training camp is set to open next week. This situation has dragged on for over a month now. But surprisingly, Parsons says he’s not worried.
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Ever since entering the NFL in 2021, Parsons has dominated his side of the ball. The awards and accolades have stacked up, while he has shown an ability to play multiple defensive positions. He’s been an invaluable piece to the Cowboys’ roster, and it makes you wonder how he fell to them with the 12th overall pick in the Draft.
It also makes it all the more puzzling that Dallas hasn’t locked him up yet. They exercised the 5th-year option on him to guarantee his status through this season. But with no contract beyond this year, the time feels better than ever to get a deal done.
Yet despite the urgency, Parsons doesn’t seem concerned. In fact, he sounds more motivated than ever.
“I just work harder. Like, to me, I look at it like if people don’t see your value, you don’t cry and sit down. You just work harder. You got to show people your value. I just think that’s the difference,” Parsons told PennLive.
Perhaps the highlight of the interview was when the linebacker told the journalist that he’s confident the deal will be done eventually.
“I’m just going to get mine no matter what. You know what I mean? Like, the markets change every year. Their salary cap went up, like, another 18% this year,” Parsons added.
Let’s hope that he knows what he’s talking about. It would be a shame for Cowboys fans if they mishandle the situation to the point where the relationship sours. Jerry Jones and company have proven time and time again that they aren’t the best when it comes to roster management over the years. One prime example is when they traded away Amari Cooper for almost nothing to save money, only for him to have 2 career years in succession.
That said, when Reddit caught wind of Parsons’ comments, some users were quick to call him out. A few tried to throw shade at him for being so confident that a new deal is incoming, despite his underwhelming playoff performances.
“Mr 1 sack in 4 playoff games,” one wrote.
“You’re totally correct and this is coming from a Cowboys fan. I’ll even add to it: part of the reason why he’s been held in check is because both he and the larger D can’t stop the run,” another piled on.
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However, some came to the defense of Parsons and cited examples of other players to back him up.
“I’m willing to bet he’s getting double-teamed 90% of the time in the playoffs, so even if the stats aren’t great, the value is,” a user pointed out.
“TJ Watt also only has one sack in 4 playoff games,” another claimed.
It’s certainly hard being a pass rusher on a team in the playoffs if you’re the only threat to get to the quarterback. That’s been the issue with Parsons in every season he’s gone to the playoffs. He gets highlighted and game-planned against, leaving his hands tied and relying on other teammates.
If Parsons were on, say, the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive line, this wouldn’t be an issue. That line is jam-packed with guys who can get to the quarterback. It would be inevitable that Parsons would get there at some point, because there’s so much to worry about. That’s why Patrick Mahomes was running around for his life in the Super Bowl against Philly.
All of this is to say that just because Parsons’ playoff resume hasn’t met expectations so far doesn’t mean he’s not good. He’s very good, and any team would love to have him. The Cowboys should get his deal done sooner rather than later, before he realizes that the cap will probably go up again next year, and that he could land an even bigger contract if he waits. That would be risky, but it’s definitely an option.
