Micah Parsons has made it very clear that he wishes to be a "Cowboy for Life,'' and Jerry and Stephen Jones have suggested the same. So how can Dallas make the gossip go away?
FRISCO - There is only one way for the Dallas Cowboys to make the headline go away.
Sign Micah Parsons.
Now.
Owner Jerry Jones' Cowboys entertained a great deal of drama regarding their last two contract extensions, a year ago, with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
And there is plenty of reason for Cowboys Nation to suspect that in addition to the players wishing to wait for more, and in addition to Jones' "deadlines make deals'' mantra playing a role ...
Jerry enjoyed reaping the perceived PR benefits of the drama.
But as we approach time for Dallas to do business with Parsons as he is nearing the end of his rookie deal and is due his own huge contract extension, maybe Jerry should also measure the negatives that can be produced by the drama.
It is a distraction for the player? It is a distraction for the locker room? If it interferes with OTAs or camp (as it did with Lamb as he held out last summer), does that hurt the football team?
And does the faith of the fan base mean anything at all?
Parsons has made it very clear that he wishes to be a "Cowboy for Life,'' and Jerry and Stephen Jones have suggested the same.
But as we write this, we know there has been no true negotiations from the parties toward might might be a deal that gives Micah $40 million per year - the biggest non-QB contract in NFL history.
We also know that Micah has suggested he might take less.
And yet, no movement. Just more gossip.
The latest junk comes from SI's Albert Breer, who in his "Monday Morning Quarterback'' column insists that "there's been enough noise inside the Cowboys building'' to justify bidding teams from investigating on Parsons' availability in trade.
From Breer: ”There’s been enough noise on Micah Parsons’s relationships inside the Cowboys’ building over the last year to put anyone’s radar up for a trade, with Parsons potentially commanding $40 million per year on a second contract. If you’re willing to pay that, plus high-end picks, for a uniquely talented defensive star … I’d give Dallas a call.”
There's no new ground being plowed here; it's more of the same speculative column-filler. But that's not the media's fault; it's the fault of the Cowboys, who can dispel these rumors by saying and doing the right thing.
Assuming Dallas is telling the truth about wanting to retain their 25-year-old perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate?
If there was ever a time and a place and a player with whom to be proactive?
The Cowboys and Micah Parsons are right there.
