Micah Parsons contract extension: Dallas Cowboys ripped by ESPN for not locking down star defender

Since entering the NFL via the 2021 Draft out of Penn State, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons has evolved into one of the best defensive players in the league. Over his four years with the Cowboys, Parsons has been named a two-time First Team All-Pro, a one-time Second Team All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler. However, he heads into the 2025 season on the final year of his rookie contract.

Standout defensive players around the league, such as New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end T.J. Watt, have received lucrative contracts in recent days. However, Parsons remains unsigned and would be an unrestricted free agent following this upcoming season if action isn’t taken.

Former NFL wide receiver/NFL analyst Harry Douglas and ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum ripped the Cowboys for not extending Parsons yet again. He did so on the Friday edition of “Get Up.”

“It’s always some kind of chaos when it comes to contracts with the Dallas Cowboys,” Douglas said. “I will give Jerry [Jones] credit, he does pay his players, and as a former player, you love that. But at the same time, it’s two or three guys you could potentially keep on your roster or add to your roster if you do it at a time where it’s not urgent.”

“You look at the Philadelphia Eagles and the way they do things, they don’t wait until the last minute to pay their players. They do it beforehand so you don’t have these situations that the Dallas Cowboys find themselves in.”

The last defensive player that the Cowboys extended was defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa back in May (four years, $80M). With T.J. Watt now earning $41M a season, PFT’s Mike Florio projects that Parsons could receive an extension for up to $45M a season (if not more).

“If I’m Dallas, we draft really well. Where are the margins that we can take advantage of?” Tannenbaum asked. “Clearly, if you go earlier, you save money and you get to keep more of the good players that you draft. To me, i don’t understand. If I’m in the Cowboy front office and I’m watching a guy like Micah Parsons — who we hit on — who is a great player and a game changer, what are we waiting for? Why is it in our benefit to wait?”

Parsons and the Cowboys open the 2025 NFL season against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sep. 4. The game will kick at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.