02-08-2025
Parsons, Cowboys relationship is easily fixable with a little bit of cash money
It's the same stuff, different day in Dallas Cowboys Land right now. Every summer the Cowboys find themselves embattled in the same situation: a star player wants a new deal, and the front office is none-too-eager to meet his demands. And this year is no different.
This season's edition of 'pay that man' features Micah Parsons. Parsons, the Cowboys All-Pro pass rusher and arguably the best player on the team, is entering the fifth-year option following his rookie deal. It's a time when most former first rounders who are going to be extended, have been. It's supposed to be a preemptive attack on free agency and a way for players to secure the bag, while teams lock down their future.
It's safe to say things have gone poorly in negotiations. So poorly, Parsons has seemingly taken a page from Myles Garrett's playbook and now demanded a trade. The business portion of football can get ugly and ugly is exactly where the Cowboys and Parsons are at the moment.
To fans who have been watching the situation unravel on social media, it's Code Orange in Dallas right now (hospital code for a disaster). Parsons might be the most dominant defensive player the Cowboys have ever rostered. Losing him is a nightmare no one wants to imagine. But in the words of the great Cowboys-killer Aaron Rodgers, 'relaaaaaax.'
Money has a way of curing all wounds. The Cowboys have been down this road before and every time they've found a way to keep the players they want while repairing the bad blood along the way. All with a simple stroke of the pen.
Parsons' trade demand is a demand for progress, if anything. His 'hold in' wasn't getting the results he wanted so he upped the pressure. Quite possibly the only player more media savvy than the Joneses, Parsons has placed himself in the driver's seat, even if the Cowboys hold the leverage. He's got fan support, teammates support, league support and all the media attention he could ask for.
Parsons knows he's under contract for 2025. He also knows the Cowboys could franchise tag him for a year or two thereafter. He wants what Garrett and T.J. Watt both fought to get: a top of the market contract extension. Given his age, durability and efficiency, he's more than entitled to it as well. Resetting the market isn't an absurd demand and there's a good chance the Cowboys front office is already prepared to do it. There's a stalemate in negotiations, but the chasm probably isn't as wide as some might think.
At the end of the day the Cowboys always find a way to get their man. If they want Parsons, they'll get him. And if Parsons gets paid, he'll be happy to put it all behind him and hit the ground running. Money heals all wounds in the NFL and the drama unfolding in training camp this year is nothing new for a franchise that lives on drama such as this. So, relax.
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