When it comes to handling their best young players, the Cowboys are cheap, short-sighted, and not as smart as they think they are.
I said that last year (repeatedly), when they were starting to drag their fee as to quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb. This year, as the Cowboys continue to drag their feet regarding linebacker Micah Parsons, it’s even more clear.
Appearing The Undertaker on the Six Feet Under podcast, Parsons made it clear that he wanted to get his contract done by now — and that it’s the team’s fault that the deal hasn’t been done.
“We obviously wanted to get done early,” Parsons said. “We want that relief off our backs. But, obviously, ownership is always gonna make it drag out, make it more complicated than it has to be. Lack of communication and that standpoint, but, you know, I just always say, God has me this far, he ain’t done with me yet, so, you know, I just just keep working, keep going, and then when it comes, I’m gonna be ready. But, you know, ain’t gonna be no drop off.”
The fact that Parsons specifically said there will be no drop off makes us wonder whether the Cowboys have expressed concern that, once Parsons joins the $40 million per year club, he may have a dip in his play. Regardless, the longer the team waits, the more expensive it will be.
“We wanted to do the contract last year,” Parsons said. “They were just kind of like, ‘We want to do Dak and CeeDee.’ Then you go out there and perform again and, you know, you would think, like, alright, we’ll get it done early. We know there’s some guys that’s about to get ready to get repaid, like Myles [Garrett], you know, Max [Crosby] is gone. So you’d think like, hey, let’s get ahead of that, you know what I mean?”
The Crosby deal and then the Garrett deal pushed the market higher and higher. And the clock is ticking louder and louder.
Parsons should not show up until he gets his contract. If he does, he absolutely should not set foot on the practice field.
Eventually, he’ll get paid. And the Cowboys will end up paying Parsons a lot more than they would have paid if they’d done it earlier this year or, even better, last year.
