On the hierarchy of items that need addressing in this Cowboys offseason, which is off to a rocky start, finding a new head coach was clearly the No. 1 issue. That’s been done, with the team introducing Brian Schottenheimer after a less-than-thorough search on Monday.
There are, surely, some major personnel gaps to filled, as well, and the Cowboys will need to be poised to begin going through those when free agency begins in just a little more than six weeks. A new receiver, a new running back, some defensive help–all should be on the table.
But in both order of operations, and in importance, the thing the Cowboys absolutely must address next is a new contract for star edge rusher Micah Parsons. And unlike last year, when the team waited until the hours up till the season’s opening, the Cowboys simply must get Parsons done quickly, because structuring his contract the right way (i.e., singing bonus) can allow the team to give him a major raise while also creating cap space.
It might be wishful thinking, though. Jerry Jones is just not that creative in his thinking on contracts, and with Parsons in line for an especially notable contract, he might be as conservative as ever this time around.
Micah Parsons Should Get Highest-Ever Defensive Payday
That’s because Parsons is predicted to land not only a significant raise, but also the biggest contract a defensive player has ever been given, eclipsing the $34 million per year the 49ers paid Nick Bosa.
That’s from the NFL contract-expert site Spotrac, which has the Cowboys given Parsons four years and $150 million, at an annual value of $37.5 million.
Here’s what site managing editor Mike Ginnitti had to say on the subject: “Parsons produced 12 sacks, 43 tackles, and 2 forced fumbles in just 13 games for the Cowboys last season and will enter a contract year in 2025 (fully guaranteed $24M 5th-year option salary). He’s been one of the games most productive edge defenders since stepping onto the field back in 2021, and should be of Dallas’ top priority signings this offseason.
“The top numbers for edge defenders currently stand at: $34M APY, $122.5M GTD.”
Cowboys Do Not Operate as Most NFL Teams
Ginnitti points out that there will be several other top pass-rushers looking for new deals, including Myles Garrett of the Browns, Maxx Crosby of the Raiders and T.J. Watt of the Steelers. So, again, the Cowboys would be wise to move quickly on Parsons and have him set a bar that others will need to surpass.
Otherwise, the Cowboys risk letting the Browns or Raiders give out hefty new contracts, and it will be up to Dallas to pay Parsons more. That’s what happened with both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb last offseason.
Giving Parsons a fair but sizable raise, with much of the first year tied up in a signing bonus, would ensure that Dallas keeps Parsons in place at the going rate, and creates some cap sapce to make other additions.
That’s how most teams would handle the situation. The Cowboys, in recent years, have not acted like most teams, however.
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Cowboys Predicted to Make Record-Setting $150 Million Move on Star