What Does the Future of Micah Parsons in Dallas Look Like?
Dallas Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons has been the main topic of discussion this off-season primarily because he is awaiting a large payday. Micah has had at least 12 sacks through his first four seasons in the NFL tying Reggie White for an NFL record. Micah is the heartbeat of the Dallas’ defense and while many fans are worried about his future as a Cowboy because we haven't gotten a clear update from Jerry Jones it looks like the contract negotiations are starting to gain momentum.
What Would a Contract Extension Look Like?
While the Dallas Cowboys fan base anxiously waits, Micah is patient and is not rushing an extension. He recently said that a $40 million per year contract would make him “the happiest man in the world”. This a reasonable blueprint to base his contract off of. Cleveland Browns All-Pro Myles Garrett was recently given a four-year $160 million contract which is similar to what Parsons is projected to get. Micah is only 25 and is four years younger than Garrett which could raise the price for him to reset the market despite Parsons’ comments showing satisfaction with the current range. If Micah aspires to be the highest-paid non quarterback in the NFL he would have to beat Ja’Marr Chase and his four-year $161 million dollar deal. With all of this information on the table, a realistic estimate for a Micah Parsons’ extension would be around five years and $210 million dollars, this would be an average of $42.5 million per year separating himself as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league history.
What Is the Timeline for a Decision?
There is certainly a high possibility of an extension happening before the draft or shortly after, although if discussions continue deep into training camp there is a chance we will be resurfacing this conversation next year. The Cowboys are in a rush to get an extension done before the market continues to expand, and while Micah can play the waiting game this off-season it is hard to believe he would risk playing another season without financial security for the long term especially if a fair offer is already on the table. Micah is currently slated to play on the fifth-year option giving Dallas three more seasons of contractual obligation when including both franchise tags, which do not come cheap. It is unclear if Micah plans to hold out like CeeDee Lamb did last off-season but if he did that would immediately speed up a decision for both sides to either agree on an extension or the less likely option in finding a trade partner.
Would Dallas Consider Trading Micah Parsons?
In this particular negotiation, it seems like both sides would like to work out a deal. The Cowboys already restructured contracts of big-name players like CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott and made no corresponding moves that required a lot of cap space, likely signaling that they are preparing for a Micah Parsons extension. Although, let's say Micah begins to ask for too much and the Cowboys think they are better off retooling and gaining draft capital while using the money that would’ve gone to Parsons to fill out the rest of their roster, there would certainly be interested teams. A fair comparison to the trade is in 2018 when Khalil Mack was traded from the Raiders to the Bears in an exchange that granted the Raiders two first-round picks, a third-round pick, a second-round pick, and a conditional fifth-round pick. The team that would be trading for Micah would also have to make him the highest-paid pass rusher in the NFL. A few teams that may have the financial ability to make the trade happen are the New England Patriots and potentially the Atlanta Falcons.
