As the postseason picture comes into focus, the Dallas Cowboys are still searching for their game plan, but all they’re finding is confusion. They’re already sitting at 6-8, and trust me, there’s no shortage of reasons why. From Dak Prescott’s injury to a shaky defense and some real roster issues, it’s like a never-ending cycle of problems. That said, let’s not forget the ownership concerns might be side-eying the Cowboys’ roster. And that’s where Troy Aikman has some pretty blunt advice for them.

Let’s rewind before the season went off the rails. The Dallas team handed out big money to the QB and wideout, CeeDee Lamb. It sounded good before the season kicked off, as those deals were supposed to anchor the roster for years to come. Fast forward to now; having played for over a decade with this team, the former QB isn’t convinced with this formula.

Troy Aikman recently appeared on Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 The Ticket (KTCK-AM). Of course, he knew what went wrong with the Dallas team this season, but here’s the kicker. Aikman didn’t hold his back when it came to the roster’s future approach. “You’ve already paid Dak, CeeDee’s, been paid. You only have so much. Mike is coming up for a contract as well. Those become hard decisions and hard negotiations,” he said.

And can you blame him? Well, $240 million for the QB and $136 million for Lamb for a four-year contract? Those are pretty big numbers when there are over 50 players still on the roster.

“You can’t just have three great players and 50 less-than-average players,” Aikman said. “I’m not saying that the others are less than average, but the decisions affect them and the strength overall of the roster. That’s the real challenge.” Let’s not forget that ahead of McCarthy’s tenure, Micah Parsons is awaiting his contract negotiations.

Micah Parsons’ $40 million deal after Aikman’s roster warning

Amidst all Jerry Jones’ leadership and roster management drama, the Dallas team’s fans probably have only one thing to cheer for. And of course it is the DE, Parsons. Sure, the guy has an impeccable season so far, but the 25-year-old just made headlines after rejecting $40 million deal from the Cowboys. But let’s not twist it, shall we?

It appears that Parsons is not chasing big paychecks here. Instead, he’s more focused on what really matters: building a team that wins championships. Wish he gets some support from the roster. “It would be nice to be surrounded by good players. Players are going to help you win championships. I want to keep as many guys as possible. … I want to work with them as much as possible.”

Let’s spice things up. Who doesn’t want to be the highest-paid defensive player? Well, when you’re sorted just to win the championship, you can include your name on the list. And Micah Parsons didn’t shy about expressing his priorities. He stated, “I don’t need $40 million per year. I need to be somewhere where I can have a lake house.” 

As it appears, Parsons’ stance is a refreshing change of pace in the league, especially for the Cowboys. Let’s see if the Dallas team can finally crack the code before their window slams shut.