FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys are working on a Micah Parsons long-term contract extension, and as CowboysCountry.com was first to report more than two weeks ago, offer ideas have been exchanged that tough on the ideas of five years and $40 million APY and $200 million.
This is sourced and this is factual.
Owner Jerry Jones followed up our reporting with confirmation of a sort, saying "most of the issues we're in agreement on.''
But agent David Mulugheta was not involved in the three meetings we know about.
A deal is not done.
But one source close to the situation would like to be done with what he calls "the irresponsible and reckless'' media speculation that is adding nothing to the story.
One report on Thursday claims "Parsons' future with the team is in jeopardy.''
That's false.
Another reports that Micah and Jerry are personally "at odds.''
That's false.
And now along comes a piece from someone named Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports, who with all due respect has no particular insight on or connections with the Cowboys or Parsons that we're aware of.
And what does Ralph tell us?
He labels Parsons as "trade bait'' where he lists one player from each team who could be traded near the 2025 NFL Draft, with his choice for the Cowboys being Parsons..
"He is arguably the best defensive player in football and the Cowboys say they intend to give him the massive contract he deserves … eventually," Vacchiano wrote. "But every day they delay that seemingly inevitable outcome adds to the persistent murmurs that Dallas might deal him instead. ...
"The king's ransom in return could set them up for years to come."
We have addressed in depth in this space the "king's ransom'' notion. The going rate would be two first-round picks plus. Jerry and Stephen Jones are aware of this. They discussed it.
And they dismissed it. Again, facts.
The four-time Pro Bowler Parsons as "the best defensive player in football''? The author might just have that right, as Micah in the last four years has become a perennial candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year and has totaled 52.5 sacks, 63 tackles for loss, 122 QB hits and 177 pressures.
But "trade bait''?
We go back to our source close to the situation, who feels good about a "Cowboys for Life'' deal getting done here (as do Jerry and Micah) and stresses "the irresponsible and reckless'' nature of this baloney.
Is that part of like for Parsons and for the Cowboys?
But that doesn't make it right.
