“Just work everyday,” said head coach Brian Schottenheimer. “How this thing is gonna play out is how it plays out. He’s talked all offseason about taking on more of a leadership role and he’s talked about wanting to be great. We know he’s a great player.
“We’re excited he’s here. There’s a lot of ways to get this thing done. Like we’ve said, we’re committed to having him take that next step and not only as a player, but as a leader.”
Time will ultimately tell the when of it all, but no one is questioning the All-Pro’s leadership throughout the process, as the Cowboys usher in the Schottenheimer era along with a revamped defensive staff coordinated by Matt Eberflus.
“I’m looking at the entire NFL when I say this — that’s players that are under contract and teams looking to make it better for the team and for the player — in terms of that, it is incumbent if you’re in that price range, the top 10 percent or quartile of your team, leadership is really big; and leadership exhibits itself when you’re negotiating as well,” said owner and general manager Jerry Jones during the opening press conference from training camp.
“I’m appreciative of Micah being here, I am. … I’m big into showing anything you can do for leadership if you’re gonna be in the top drawer of all the money.”
The latest blockbuster deal at the position, following the one awarded to Myles Garrett by the Cleveland Browns, was secured by T.J. Watt from the Pittsburgh Steelers, effectively resetting the market to an average annual salary of $41 million per year on a three-year extension. As it stands, Parsons is set to play in 2025 under the fifth-year option on a fully guaranteed $24 million.
“This is just a part of it,” said Jones. “We’re here with everybody under contract. I was looking at this documentary, and spent some time going back to the Emmitt Smith negotiation and what was going on there. There’s nothing new about what we’re talking about here today relative to contracts. It’s been going on a long time. … I am not the least concerned about having any dangling participles out here on a contract, anywhere.”
It remains to be seen if that’ll be the financial case come the Sept. 4 matchup against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, though.
What is certain, however, is that talks will continue throughout training camp.
“Obviously, when you’re all here together at camp, it makes for a good environment to try and get some things done before the season starts,” said executive vice president and director or player personnel Stephen Jones. “At the end of the day, it does take two. A lot of times, you might be surprised where we might be and where they might’ve been, where they were wanting to hold.
And most players do understand if you’re willing to take risks, if you’re willing to go out on the field and do your contract, and you play well and bet on yourself, usually, it’ll happen in a positive way for the player. They understand that.”
The Joneses made it clear they respect either approach to this type of situation from players, having recently seen CeeDee Lamb and Zack Martin hold out of camp for new contracts, but absence is not the path Parsons has chosen to take as he locks in on ingratiating himself with the new coaching staff and a slew of new players, many younger than him, who will look to him for guidance both now and later.
“I want him popping those young guys on the butt and rah-rahing out there — showing good body language,” said Jerry Jones. “Be involved. He can be and he’s a leader. Those guys, he’s gonna have to count on them to get to the Super Bowl.
“… Those young guys need Micah hammering, talking to them. He needs to be doing the kinds of things that, when you’ve got on the line what he’s got on the line, you do it. … Micah is a player that, glaringly, is gonna be a leader. He will impact the psyche of the team, just like Michael Irvin or any of the other great leaders we’ve had on this team, or like Deion Sanders.
“And you’ve got to realize that quality helps build your career to help people be motivated about you being out there. He can do it, and the fact he’s here is good.”
Already a record-setting pass rusher who hasn’t logged an NFL season with fewer than 12 sacks, despite injury deleting a chunk of games from his 2024 season, Parsons will eventually, likely, become a record-setter in the contractual realm as well.
Until then, you can find him at the proverbial office, clocked in.
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