The Dallas Cowboys did it to themselves. With their full lack of urgency in extending All-Professional edge-rusher Micah Parsons, the Cowboys could have value themselves thousands and thousands.
On Thursday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers and edge T.J. Watt had agreed to a historic three-year, $123 million extension value $41M yearly, making it the biggest non-quarterback contract in NFL historical past.
Watt’s deal units a baseline for Parsons to demand in negotiations, and it is seemingly greater than what the Cowboys would have owed him if that they had labored out a deal final offseason, when Parsons initially wished an extension.
“We wished to get the contract final yr,” the two-time first-team All-Professional lately advised skilled wrestler The Undertaker on his “Six Toes Below” podcast.
“Clearly, possession is at all times gonna make it drag out, make it extra sophisticated than it must be,” Parsons added.
Earlier this week, Parsons downplayed the influence of edge-rushing friends Watt, Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby finalizing extensions earlier than him, telling PennLive.com’s Nick Farabaugh, “I am simply going to get mine it doesn’t matter what.”
Whereas the 2021 first-round choose was at all times going to reset the edge-rusher market, that quantity has solely grown up to now yr. And the Cowboys have themselves in charge.
The lackadaisical method to extending their very own gamers is nothing new. Final offseason, Dallas waited till late August to conform to phrases on a four-year, $136 million extension with large receiver CeeDee Lamb, ending a coaching camp and preseason holdout.
Then, the Cowboys handed quarterback Dak Prescott a large four-year, $240 million extension on the primary Sunday of the 2024 NFL common season.
It isn’t shocking that Dallas would drag its ft in negotiations with Parsons, however it’s disappointing that it is repeating previous errors.
It was at all times going to value the Cowboys a fairly penny to maintain Parsons, however now it should value them much more.
