Micah Parsons Extension: Jerry Jones Prioritizes DE Over Cowboys QB Amidst Dak Prescott’s Contract Admission

TheDallas Cowboys did what was expected for Micah Parsons? Parsons, within three years, has collected 3 Pro Bowls and 2 All-Pro honors in his achievements bank. He secured second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting and third place once before that. And now the franchise has decided to place him in a different position.

The Cowboys are presently ending up crossing over the salary cap. However, with certain restructuring, the franchise can end up saving a huge amount, approx. $80 million. The first player that pops up in the minds of the team is their quarterback Dak Prescott, who is currently facing salary concerns. So, what has the team decided further for Parsons and their current QB?

Around a $2 million difference this time for Micah Parsons?

According to a latest update by Dallas reporter, Michael Gehlken, “Cowboys are placing the fifth-year option on Micah Parsons as a defensive end, not linebacker, two people close to the situation said. The salary difference is about $2.7 million.” As a linebacker, “Parsons would earn $24 million in 2025 in the final year of his contract. The defensive end salary, though, is $21.32 million,” making it a save of $2.7 million.

Parsons is officially designated as a linebacker. However, over the past two seasons, he has mainly played a role as a defensive end, accounting for 87.8% of his snaps. Furthermore, there are discussions and hopes to secure a long-term contract extension for Parsons within the next year, to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league’s history.

However, if a deal isn’t reached, the athlete may choose to sit out until an agreement is reached. As per CBS Sports, “Teams have until May 2 to apply the fifth-year option to 2021 first-round draft picks.” The Cowboys are currently prioritizing Parsons in their cap adjustment strategies. So, what about Dak Prescott? Well, another report has emerged suggesting a potential update on Prescott’s contract too.

Following the path that Jerry Jones had foreseen?

Earlier Jerry Jones said that “the team is going “all in” on the 2024 season.” Hence, he and his team are trying to make necessary adjustments to save the cap space anyhow, since they are not left with the choice of trade or NFL Drafts. The team is $20 million over the cap as of now. According to QB Dak Prescott’s contract, it might be the final year of his contract if an agreement is not reached.

Prescott, however, remains optimistic. Recently, while attending as an honorary chair in a Children’s Cancer Fund event with Hall of Famer Troy Aikman on Monday, the QB expressed, “I’m definitely confident,” on the extension.

Prescott is currently slated to have a salary cap of $59.45 million for this upcoming season. The Cowboys might explore saving money by adjusting players’ salaries, possibly converting them into signing or roster bonuses. By doing this, they could save up to $80 million this year. To achieve this, Prescott’s contract extension must be structured in a way that includes his last year’s salary, resulting in a savings of $26.2 million.

The remaining salary would be restricted as bonuses or prorated salary for future years. However, as per the latest rumors, Jones might choose not to extend Prescott’s contract, opting to let him play out the remainder and accepting the associated cap hit. This approach could impact the team’s ability to afford high-profile free agents.

Read more: “Ain’t Nobody Fearing Dak Prescott” – Ex-Falcons Star Trashes Micah Parsons For Comparing Cowboys QB to Patrick Mahomes