The Dallas Cowboys have had a busy free-agency period, but have yet to cross off one of the most important things on the to-do list: signing Micah Parsons to a contract extension.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer still believes the team will get a deal done with the four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher.
"Micah has said all along that he plans on being there. Again, it's a business, right? There's a lot of factors that go into a deal," Schottenheimer told NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero on Sunday at the Annual League Meeting. "There are two sides in every negotiation, it's not just our side, it's Micah's side. This is an opportunity for Micah, especially, with some of the guys that we lost as leadership for Micah to step up. He's excited about that. He wants to have more leadership responsibility.
"So, again, we have a ton of time, and we'll take it day-by-day. Again, my conversations with Micah have been great and I think he's in a good spot. It's business, as he understands."
This is a new task for Schottenheimer to deal with as a first-year head coach. Around this time last year, the Cowboys' extension conversations were revolving around wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott. Dallas eventually paid Lamb before the start of the 2024 season with a four-year, $136 million extension, but not before Lamb skipped organized team activities and held out of training camp, possibly correlating with his slow start to the campaign. Prescott, although he showed for camp, took even longer to get signed, finally inking his new deal on Sunday morning of Week 1.
Schottenheimer doesn't want the storyline of the Cowboys' offseason to become a distraction to the team, but he remains confident Dallas can get a deal done in the near future.
"I think the biggest thing is don't let it be a distraction," Schottenheimer explained. "It's going to get done. [In 2023], it was Zack (Martin). You know this is something you are seeing more and more, it's not just the Cowboys that deal with this, it's league-wide, right? The hold-ins or whatever they are calling them; don't let it be a distraction. They are professional athletes. The deal is going to get done. Of course, we like deals done sooner rather than later. There are two sides to every negotiation. Just know when they get back, if they are the right type of person, which the guys we are talking about are, that they'll be ready to play."
Ever since being drafted No. 12 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Parsons has showcased his abilities as one of the league's premier pass rushers. Parsons, who's earned two first-team All-Pro selections in four seasons, has been vocal recently about the team’s offseason plans, learning a new defensive scheme and taking on a leadership role with the departure of Demarcus Lawrence.
Schottenheimer hopes the Cowboys figure out a deal that works for both sides soon.
Asked about a scenario if Parsons was not on the Cowboys in 2025, Schottenheimer replied, "I wouldn't think so. He's an elite player. He's a guy we think can wreak havoc on opposing offenses for a long time in a Cowboys uniform."
