The tension between Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and owner/general manager Jerry Jones has reached a boiling point, with the All-Pro defender requesting a trade amid stalled contract talks. Now, at least one teammate is speaking up with a direct message for Jones.
Why Is CeeDee Lamb Telling Jerry Jones to End This Drama?
CeeDee Lamb took to X and bluntly posted what he thinks Jones needs to do to end the dumpster fire the Parsons contract negotiations have become.
“Never fails dawg,” Lamb posted. “Just pay the man what you owe em. No need for the extracurricular.”
Never fails dawg.
Just pay the man what you owe em. No need for the extra curricular 😒— CeeDee Lamb (@_CeeDeeThree) August 1, 2025
RJ Ochoa posted a story from Lamb that succinctly expressed Lamb’s feelings regarding the Parsons situation.
“SMH,” Lamb posted.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb appears to have thoughts on Micah Parsons requesting a trade. pic.twitter.com/qCDQSWWH73
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) August 1, 2025
Lamb’s frustration makes perfect sense. He dealt with this exact same drama just two years ago when Jones dragged out his own contract negotiations.
Jones has a history of dragging negotiations out, dating back to 1993, when the Cowboys waited until two games into the regular season before signing Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith.
Lamb was subjected to similar treatment by Jones in 2023. Talks surrounding his contract extension dragged throughout the offseason, and Lamb held out during training camp.
He eventually signed a four-year, $136 million contract extension, including a $38 million signing bonus and $100 million guaranteed. The contract came after Lamb endured weeks of public back-and-forth and missed valuable practice time.
How Did the Micah Parsons Situation Get This Bad?
Jones initially tried to negotiate directly with Parsons over his contract in this case. Whether it was an informal discussion or not, things began to go south when Parsons insisted Jones negotiate with his agent instead.
If Jones negotiates this way out of a desire to exert control or keep the Cowboys in the headlines, it creates contentious moments like this one. Things have escalated to the point that Parsons is considering drastic actions. He’s requested a trade and is considering leaving the team outright.
Parsons is in the final year of his rookie contractand is scheduled to make $24 million this season. However, he’s been seeking an extension that would put him among the highest-paid, if not the highest-paid, players on defense.
The market has already been set by other elite defensive players. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt just signed a contract worth $41 million annually. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett gets $40 million per year, and Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter makes $35.6 million annually.
Some observers think that the longer Jones drags this out, the more he will have to pay Parsons. Meanwhile, a smaller but vocal minority thinks he should make Parsons finish his rookie contract, play on the franchise tag next year, and prove that he is worth a long-term deal.
For his career, Parsons has appeared in 63 games in four seasons, recorded 172 solo tackles, and 52.5 sacks.
The Cowboys open their preseason on August 9 against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. Whether Parsons will be on the field remains to be seen, but Lamb’s message to Jones is clear: stop the drama and get this deal done.
