If the Dallas Cowboys hope for a bounce-back season, having Micah Parsons fully bought in could be vital. With the former 12th overall pick entering the final season of his rookie deal, a new contract looms large. While the four-year pro has yet to sign an extension, his actions in the young 2025 offseason appear to have things going in the right direction.
Micah Parsons’ Attendance and Leadership Continues To Get Noticed
To the pleasure of many, Parsons attended Dallas’ opening OTA workout on Monday. While it was optional, head coach Brian Schottenheimer is thrilled to see his superstar.
Brian Schottenheimer said Micah Parsons attended the first day of OTAs on Monday. Schotty said when he approached Parsons to attend voluntary workouts and he did and it "means a lot to me."
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins)
Schottenheimer added that for the culture Dallas hopes to build, Parsons will be a pillar.
“The first couple of days, we’re doing some team-building things, some culture,” Schottenheimer said, via the team’s website. “We’re trying to create one of the greatest cultures in professional sports. Micah is going to be a leader for us. He wants to be a leader for us. He’s going to do that. I felt like it was very important for him to be here to begin that process. Again, it’s a voluntary camp, but the fact that he did that means a lot to me.”
Parsons Eyeing a Record-Breaking Deal?
The Penn State product’s next contract will likely make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report believes that Parsons’ extension value could be higher than originally expected.
“Parsons is one of the best defensive players in the NFL—a fact Jones knows as well as we do. There’s zero chance that the Cowboys head into the 2025 season without Parsons being among the league’s highest-paid defenders.”
“So while there are questions on how much Parsons could get in his next contract, there don’t seem to be any major concerns that a deal will get done.”
As Davenport predicts a deal to be done ahead of the 2025 season, his monetary prediction for Parsons’ deal may blow your mind.
Originally, Davenport expected an annual value for the defensive superstar between $35 and $40 million. Now, reports suggest a $45 million evaluation may be more accurate.
In 2024, Parsons played just 13 games, as he suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week Four. His mid-November return prompted the best stretch of last season’s campaign. Here, the Cowboys went 2-2, defeating the New York Giants and Washington Commanders while falling to the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles.
Despite facing the NFC’s two finalists, Parsons went for five and a half sacks, 14 total tackles, and a forced fumble during the four-game stretch. The 25-year-old’s big game production is just one of many reasons he is expected to receive a jaw-dropping contract extension.