FRISCO — The Dallas Cowboys have had ample time, over a year, to prepare for a potential contract renewal for Micah Parsons. Now that moment has arrived, and it appears the situation hasn’t progressed since last year: they remain at a standstill.

The Cowboys’ defensive standout has demonstrated his commitment to the team, notably last season when he returned from a four-game hiatus and became the motivational force for a team otherwise downcast. Before the free agency period, there was a glimmer of hope for an agreement. Dallas moved swiftly to secure defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa, preventing him from exploring the open market.

Subsequently, the Cowboys created additional salary cap room by restructuring the contracts of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. These actions suggested that a significant development might be on the horizon. Yet, the main wave of free agency has passed without a deal being finalized. According to Cowboys reporter Saad Yousuf from The Athletic, this has complicated matters for the team.

“If the Cowboys had finalized the extension with Parsons before free agency, the outcomes of free agency wouldn’t influence negotiations,” Yousuf explained. “However, free agency came and went. The Cowboys cleared cap space in the days leading up to the league’s new year but didn’t use it to sign anyone who would notably impact or alleviate Parsons’ workload.”

The report adds, “Parsons, who has occasionally skipped voluntary offseason activities, might avoid both voluntary and mandatory team sessions.” We would mention this: That scenario was already likely, irrespective of whether Dallas made significant moves at the start of free agency.

So it’s uncertain if suggesting that Micah will be particularly dissatisfied by the lack of major acquisitions and will thus skip OTAs holds much weight. Indeed, what if Dallas had signed Micah to a $40 million APY early on, with him presuming more substantial deals were forthcoming, and then nothing materialized? Wouldn’t he be just as “particularly dissatisfied” then?

Parsons’ contract extension aimed for two objectives: to secure his well-earned pay raise and to surround him with an enhanced roster. The first goal remains unfulfilled, and in recent weeks, it’s challenging to argue that the second has been fully realized. Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby both received substantial paydays at the outset of free agency, raising Parsons’ price. Observing this and the lackluster effort to acquire new talent is less than ideal for both parties.

By the conclusion of the offseason, it’s likely that Parsons and the Cowboys will reach an agreement, making this a thing of the past. However, this series of events has not shaped the ideal offseason that Cowboys fans or Parsons himself envisioned.