When it comes to properly handling the Micah Parsons situation, Jerry and Stephen Jones are becoming a one-two punch of incompetence.
On Sunday, Stephen turned the tables on Parsons, explaining that he has to want to be paid. In other words, he has to accept our offer. Substandard as it may be.
Separately on Sunday, Jerry downplayed the “pay Micah” chants that emerged at training camp.
“I heard it light, but not compared to how I heard them say, ‘Pay [CeeDee] Lamb’ [in 2024],” Jones said Sunday, via Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “That was a faint little sound compared to the way they were hollering last year, ‘Pay Lamb.’ . . . Whoever’s not in, you can count on a few hollering that. But it was a big loud chant last year on Lamb.”
Jones proved his own point near the end. “Whoever’s not in.” The Lamb chants were louder because Lamb wasn’t there. The Parsons chants were softer because he didn’t hold out.
He absolutely should have. They’ll lowball him, possibly hoping he’ll reject their last, best offer before Week 1 and play for only $24 million in 2025.
The nuclear option hovers over the noise. Parsons could leave camp. And the Cowboys would have to decide after five days whether to shut him down for the full season. On one hand, he would be paid nothing. On the other hand, the Cowboys wouldn’t have him. Given that Jerry also described Micah on Sunday as “maybe the most talented player we’ve had,” the Cowboys likely wouldn’t shelve him for the full season if he leaves and doesn’t return within five days.
However it plays out, Micah won’t get full value for his abilities unless he takes a stand. Especially since a walkout would make those “pay Micah” chants much, much louder.
