The Dallas Cowboys still haven’t locked up Micah Parsons with a long-term deal. The former Penn State star remains unsigned as the team enters another offseason of contract negotiations.
Parsons has established himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers. At 26 years old, he’s hitting his prime years when most edge defenders peak.
The Cowboys are running out of time to get a deal done before the market resets.
Jerry Jones hasn’t pulled the trigger on an extension yet. The delay is becoming more noticeable as other teams around the league secure their franchise players.
Industry experts project Parsons could command the largest contract ever given to a non-quarterback. That type of deal would reflect his impact on Dallas’s defense over his first four seasons.
USA Today recently projected a potential extension for the linebacker.
“This projected extension, five new years for $205 million, makes Parsons the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history and the first to surpass $200 million cumulative earnings in one deal. It is on top of the $24.007 million he is due on this year’s fifth-year option. The $41 million of new money, per-year average trumps what Myles Garrett received in his four-year extension signed with the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason.”
That projection would put Parsons above Myles Garrett’s recent extension with Cleveland. Garrett signed a four-year deal earlier this offseason that reset the edge defender market.
Parsons is coming off another productive campaign. He recorded 12 sacks last season, bringing his career total to 52.5 sacks through four NFL seasons.
The numbers tell the story of consistent production.
His pass-rushing ability has anchored Dallas’s defense since he entered the league. Parsons has shown he can take over games and change defensive gameplans for opposing offenses.
For Dallas, that type of impact player is worth significant investment. The Cowboys have built their defensive identity around Parsons’s versatility and pass-rushing skills.
The longer they wait, the more expensive the deal becomes as the market continues to rise.
