Negotiations between the Dallas Cowboys and star linebacker Micah Parsons have hit a standstill, with little indication that a long-term deal is coming anytime soon.
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According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, talks between the two sides have not only stalled but regressed in recent months. Speaking Tuesday, Schefter said the Cowboys and Parsons are "further away from a deal in late July, early August than [they] were in late March, early April."
"The two sides have gone backwards, not forwards," Schefter told ESPN. "I don't think they're speaking very much these days, if at all. This negotiation, when it was a negotiation, has gone sideways. It's not a negotiation right now. There's really no conversation about getting a deal done."
The situation draws comparisons to how Dallas has handled past contract talks with top players. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott both waited deep into previous seasons before seeing significant movement toward new deals. It's possible a similar scenario unfolds with Parsons, though the gap in communication raises fresh questions about how committed the Cowboys are to locking up the NFL All-Pro pass rusher long-term, at least for now.
The Cowboys have the leverage of Parsons' fifth-year option for 2025, which would pay him approximately $24 million. It's unclear whether the team has made a firm offer, but speculation continues that Dallas may simply be holding its ground, leaving Parsons with a take-it-or-leave-it decision before Week 1.
A new deal could still materialize before the regular season kicks off, but for now, the stalemate represents a surprising turn in what many expected would be a top offseason priority for Dallas. Parsons, 25, has made three Pro Bowls and was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021.
For the record, ProFootball Talk's Mike Florio predicted there won't be a new deal in place until 2026.
