Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons added a touch of pressure to his ongoing contract negotiations on Tuesday, explaining to reporters why it's "extremely important" he has a deal ironed out by training camp.
"You really see a lot of players struggle when guys aren't participating in camp and they get off to a slow start," Parsons elaborated, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. "I don't want to get off to a slow start. I want to hit the ground running, establish ourselves in this league, get some wins early in the season and be in rhythm. It's extremely important for me to get going and lead these guys."
Watch that answer below:
Micah Parsons on the importance of getting a new contract done before training camp pic.twitter.com/SCkBzxrAUW
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 23, 2025
Parsons also noted that he plans to be at The Star, the Cowboys' Frisco HQ, for offseason workouts, even if an agreement is not complete.
Earlier on Tuesday, team owner and GM Jerry Jones said the Cowboys and Parsons are "close enough" in talks to "work on a number." But Jones's son, COO and EVP Stephen Jones, made it seem like the gap between the two camps is a bit wider than that.
"You look around the league at most of these players who are getting these very top contracts, it does take time ultimately to get there, and believe me, if we could sign Micah to a number we wanted to sign him to, we do it right now," the younger Jones said. "But right now, there's a difference in what we feel is the right number, and what he feels like is the right number."
Parsons still has a year left on his rookie deal, meaning he'll be a free agent at the end of 2025-26 if an extension is not worked out. But Jones would be wise to keep him in-house; the Penn State export is the biggest difference-maker the Cowboys have on defense. In 2024, he recorded 43 total tackles, 12 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He and Hall of Famer Reggie White are the only two players in NFL history to record at least 12 sacks across their first four seasons.
For now, talks continue.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Micah Parsons Says It's 'Extremely Important' to Have Contract Worked Out By Camp.
