Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed that he told Micah Parsons that if the edge rusher stayed in Dallas, he would be playing on the fifth-year option in 2025. That would have paid him either $21.324 million or $24 million depending on the outcome of the grievance he filed.
“Basically I think I read where [Parsons] said that I replied, ‘We’re playing under the contract as it exists right now, get ready to play in Philadelphia.’ Correct. That was correct,” Jones said Thursday night.
Instead, the Cowboys traded the four-time Pro Bowler, who is only 26, to the Packers for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
Jones believes he and Parsons had a handshake deal in April that Parsons reneged on. The sides never negotiated again — even when Parsons presented a chance to do that this week — before sending him to Green Bay.
“We offered him a contract to come play for the Dallas Cowboys, and it was a good one,” Jones said. “Now, it was more guaranteed than what was reported here now. My point is, without getting into details, that was a very genuine negotiation. I changed the amounts, and then we left, and then he called back and talked to Stephen [Jones]. Stephen negotiated amounts. We changed those amounts that he called back from. Then, of course, the rest is history when the time came to say, ‘let’s go,’ then he said, ‘Well, let’s start the negotiation.’
“Nothing in the world am I criticizing Micah about at all. That was ever bit his right, and Micah has never been anything but so pleasant to be around. . . . Things are good here. We have just decided that it was in the best interest of our team and take the consideration that we have — we appreciate his four years — but we can take that consideration and we can win more than had we gone the other route and signed him. That’s not a negative on Micah. That’s just unique to our circumstances.”
Parsons’ four-year, $188 million contract extension includes a total of $136 million guaranteed, $120 million of which is fully guaranteed, Adam Schefter reports. It makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Jones said “make no mistake, we all know we could have paid Micah,” but they didn’t want to pay what the Packers paid him.
The Cowboys were never willing to give Parsons $47 million per year.
“I get it, and I think everyone does get it, too,” Jones said. “They wanted to go where I stopped, and they wanted to go from there. Is that hard for anybody to see? That’s where they wanted to start. That’s where I stopped. Now, all you can do is pick up the ball and say that to each other.”
Parsons has not practiced with the team since the end of last season. He appeared ready to continue his hold-in into the regular season, citing back tightness. Now, he’s headed to Green Bay.
