The Dallas Cowboys are facing a high-stakes offseason, and thanks to Myles Garrett’s blockbuster contract extension with the Cleveland Browns, things just got a lot more complicated for team owner and general manager Jerry Jones.
Garrett’s new deal – a staggering $160 million with $123 million guaranteed, averaging $40 million annually – is sending shockwaves across the NFL.
And for Jones, it spells trouble. Cowboys’ defensive star Micah Parsons is nearing the end of his rookie deal and now has every reason to expect a similar – if not bigger – payday.
On ESPN’s Get Up, analyst Dan Orlovsky laid it out bluntly: “No one had a better weekend than Micah Parsons, and no one had a worse weekend than Jerry Jones,” he said.
“Micah Parsons is going to now sit there and go, alright you’re going to have to pay me so many American dollars.
“And Jerry Jones now has to figure out how to pay Micah Parsons all of the money, while also paying Dak Prescott all of that money. While also paying CeeDee Lamb all of that money.”
That’s three elite players – all due for top-tier contracts – and only so much cap space to go around.
Garrett’s deal now sets a new benchmark for elite defensive players, just as Maxx Crosby’s $106.5 million contract with the Raiders already raised the bar.
With both edge rushers cashing in, Parsons’ market value is only going up, and Jones has no choice but to keep pace.
It’s not the first time Jones’ wait-and-see approach has cost the Cowboys.
The team held off on extending Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, only to end up paying top-of-the-market prices when other teams reset the scale.
Parsons is now in that same category.
The linebacker has said negotiations have been “going well,” but Garrett’s deal may prompt a reassessment. If Parsons is expecting to land a contract in the $40 million-per-year range, Jones will need to get creative with the numbers – and fast.
Meanwhile, Prescott and Lamb are both on expiring deals of their own.
The polarizing quarterback is set to earn one of the league’s highest annual salaries in 2025, and Lamb will command top receiver money after back-to-back standout seasons.
For Dallas, this is crunch time.
Parsons, already a two-time All-Pro by 24, has been the engine of the Cowboys’ defense.
If he signs a deal in line with Garrett or Crosby, Dallas would be locking in three massive contracts at three premium positions – quarterback, receiver, and pass rusher – all at once.
Needless to say, that could limit roster flexibility moving forward and put pressure on Jones to hit on draft picks and bargains in free agency.
One thing is clear: Myles Garrett just made Micah Parsons a lot richer, and Jerry Jones a lot more stressed.
What are your thoughts on Orlovsky’s comments and the overall situation involving Parsons and the Cowboys???
