The Dallas Cowboys have once again found themselves at a standstill, hit twice in just 24 hours. On Sunday, when the Cincinnati Bengals elevated wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase to the status of the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, it seemed to provide a benchmark for Dallas Cowboys’ edge rusher Micah Parsons.
A sequence of events had unfolded, beginning with Cleveland Browns’ defensive end Myles Garrett breaking the $40 million annual salary ceiling for non-quarterbacks on March 9. Chase then nudged the record to $40.25 million, setting the stage for Parsons to potentially surpass both with a lucrative extension. The pressing question is: how much more can Parsons demand?
Complicating matters, Houston Texans’ cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.’s three-year, $90 million extension on Monday muddied the waters. While Stingley’s contract didn’t reach Chase’s heights, it did significantly redefine the cornerback market by a substantial 20 percent, raising the highest-paid corner’s annual salary from Carolina Panthers’ Jaycee Horn’s $25 million to Stingley’s $30 million.
This shift could heavily influence the Cowboys’ negotiations with Parsons, considering that he shares the same agent, David Mulugheta of Athletes First, with Stingley. Mulugheta’s strategy, as demonstrated by Stingley’s deal, doesn’t necessarily adhere to the idea of incrementally surpassing previous contracts.
For Stingley, the agreement reflected his market value and where the cornerback market should have stood. This could lead to a more challenging negotiation for Parsons, as Mulugheta might argue that Parsons, being younger and more versatile than Garrett, deserves a higher salary than the Browns’ defensive end.
The Cowboys have already missed an opportunity by not securing Parsons’ extension last offseason when making him the highest-paid non-quarterback would have involved a deal surpassing Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver Justin Jefferson’s $35 million per season. Since Jefferson’s contract, other players like Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, Garrett, and Chase have significantly increased the top annual salary figures.
Interestingly, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has delayed Parsons’ extension to the point where potential players to reset the non-quarterback market have dwindled. The main prospects are Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt, turning 31 in October and becoming a free agent after next season, and Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson, who is eligible for an extension next offseason but is recovering from a season-ending injury in 2024.
Regardless of how the Cowboys evaluate this market or the intentions of Parsons and his representatives, the negotiations promise to be intriguing in the coming months. Historically, Dallas has been sluggish in finalizing record-breaking deals, which could lead to the talks dragging into training camp. This scenario might allow Watt to secure a short-term extension first.
It’s possible that Parsons and Mulugheta might wait for Watt’s deal, removing the chance for Parsons to set a new standard before the Steelers’ pass rusher. Amidst these numerous variables, one thing is clear: the cost of Parsons’ extension has climbed over time, and similar to last offseason, this trend is unlikely to reverse.
