The Dallas Cowboys are in a pivotal place when it comes to their immediate future.
Instead of extending Dak Prescott and freeing up salary cap space to add talent that would help them make a run at a Super Bowl in 2024, they are allowing their franchise QB to play through the end of his contract.
Now, with far less talent —due to players who have left during free agency — Prescott is expected to somehow win this season without the same level of talent he had last season. Either way, there’s a strong chance he walks and joins another team after 2024.
Already gone are five starters from 2023, including stalwart left tackle Tyron Smith and running back Tony Pollard. The Cowboys have added precious little on the free-agent market, and declined to make the one move that could have kept the team together while also proving a new direction—firing Mike McCarthy and adding a new head coach.
Instead, the Cowboys’ strategy has been to keep McCarthy and sit on their hands through free agency. And if the 2024 season flops as badly as 2023 did, we’re likely in for a complete roster demolition. Why not just start it now?
Can The Dallas Cowboys Realistically Keep Their Three Biggest Stars Beyond 2024?
The Cowboys offseason has been a major disappointment, as five starters have departed and few reinforcements have been brought in behind them. One reason for the lack of activity has been the series of postseasons disappointments the Cowboys have suffered in past years. But another has a lot more to do with the future—namely the impending contract extensions Dallas will need to hand out to three top stars Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott.
And it remains entirely possible that the Dallas Cowboys look at the future and decide they can’t keep all three. Each is looking not only for a big payoff, but for the biggest payoff among all NFL players at their position. That will mean more than $50 million per year for Prescott, more than $30 million per year for Lamb and more than $34 million for Parsons.
If the Cowboys are forced to decide which of the three they can’t keep, it could very well be Parsons, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
Now, to be sure, Machota writes that he thinks the Cowboys will sign all three players back. Why be so careful in free agency if the plan is not to keep the stars in place? The only way things could get off the rails is if Parsons wants to get well ahead of the $34 million per year that fellow edge rusher Nick Bosa got last year.
Here’s how Machota put it: “Parsons is the choice only because his asking price could get to a level where the Cowboys determine they might be better off going in another direction.
San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa currently tops the NFL as the highest-paid defender at $34 million per season. Parsons is probably going to want to top that number. But by how much? If it’s in that neighborhood, everything will probably work itself out. But what if it’s significantly more than that? If contract talks get ugly, maybe they try to work out a trade. I don’t see it getting to that level, but it can’t be completely ruled out.”
Would The Dallas Cowboys Actually Trade Micah Parsons?
Trading Parsons would be a considerable shock, but given the circumstances—assuming Prescott and Lamb are re-signed—it is understandable. The Cowboys would want a hefty ransom in return and, even if they got a deal in place for Parsons, it is unlikely they could truly replace what he brings to the defense.
Micah Parsons deserves to get paid, for certain. But how much and whether it should be more than Bosa is the big question. Spotrac projects his market value well below that of Bosa, at $25.4 million per year, for a total of $102 million over four years. That is dwarfed by the five years and $170 million Bosa is slated to get.
Parsons is just 24 years old and has been very durable in his three seasons, which include two All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowl selections. Parsons has missed one game in three seasons, and has had 13.0, 13.5 and 14.0 sacks in each of his years with the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys brass has major decisions to make about the future of the franchise, but if Parsons’ asking price is too high, a trade shouldn’t be considered off the table.
1 Comment
I am a to the bone Cowboys fan – and I understand you can’t pay every player at the top of the pay scale. All three players Cede Micah and Dak have earned their money zero argument there. But are they willing to sacrifice a little money to keep the core together? I don’t blame them if they want money over a sure fire solid core of a team. We live in a free market economy and they have earned that right to demand top dollar.