Cowboys reportedly offer to make Micah Parsons highest-paid non-QB; Jerry Jones talks latest negotiations

The Dallas Cowboys are prepared to make three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, according to All City DLLS. 

Owner Jerry Jones and Parsons have agreed to multiple key framework parameters for the deal, according to Jones himself, but it is reportedly awaiting approval from the 25-year-old’s agent, David Mulugheta. The team and Mulugheta have reportedly not had any conversations since the NFL Scouting Combine. 

“I know that I’ve spent five, six hours with him myself and had a lot of discussions. Most of the issues are in agreement, and I’ve discussed it all,” Jones said, via The Athletic, at the NFL’s annual league meeting on Tuesday. “We obviously don’t have an agreement relative to a new contract. Micah is under contract. So we’ll see how that goes. It’s not uncommon for me to visit directly with players, and in this particular case, that’s what I’m doing.”

Jones added that he doesn’t view Parsons’ contract situation as urgent and that “I’d rather pay more and get it right,” per The Athletic. He also doesn’t see Mulugheta as “a factor here or something to worry about,” claiming to not even know his name. 

“That’s [an agent] not something you should be worrying about. You should be worrying about your ability to make it work, and you you should be worried about what the player does,” Jones continued, via The Athletic. “Does he have good enough health? Does he have good enough skill to do what you’re paying him the money for. … The agent doesn’t have one thing to do with what we’re doing when we get on the football field against a team. Micah does. To the degree I’m involved, I do. The people that have something to do with what we do going forward relative to our fans and football are me and the player, not the agent.

“Frankly, most people that negotiate with me will tell you that it was better off than negotiating with anybody else, Stephen [Jones], or anybody involved. This is not uncommon. I negotiated directly as far back as Emmitt [Smith], Deion [Sanders]. We, by the way, have maintained relationships that have lasted well past their playing days.” 

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Jones and Parsons discussing a new contract one-on-one isn’t surprising. Parsons requested and set up a meeting in the owner’s suite at AT&T Stadium at the College Football Playoff semifinal game between Ohio State and Texas back in January. Jones also invited Parsons and his friends to hang out with him at his suite at Allegiant Stadium for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.   

So what would making Parsons the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL look like? It would mean Parsons’ average annual salary eclipsing the $40.25 million on Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s four-year, $161 million contract.  

Highest-paid non-QBs in average annual salary

It could also mean passing fellow edge rusher Myles Garrett’s four-year, $160 million extension with the Cleveland Browns in guaranteed money. Garrett received $123,596,125 guaranteed on his new deal, a figure that Parsons’ agent could potentially be more interested in than the average annual salary number. 

Highest-paid non-QBs in guaranteed salary

It will be interesting to see how fast these negotiations move once Mulugheta rejoins the conversation with Dallas’ voluntary offseason program kicking off next week. Last offseason, Parsons called missing Dallas’ offseason program his “style.” All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who was in negotiations for his second NFL contract like Parsons, held out of the offseason program last year prior to signing a four-year, $136 million contract in August. 

Parsons declared it’s now his time as a leader on the Dallas defense following the departure of Pro Bowl edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, and new head coach Brian Schottenheimer believes he’s going to be around for the team’s offseason program. 

“I feel very comfortable. Micah said he’s going to be around,” Schottenheimer said Tuesday (via ESPN) from the NFL’s annual  league meeting. “I think that he wants to be. I think we’re all very comfortable with that. And at the end of the day he’s a great player and we think he’s just getting started, to be honest with you. I have no question in my mind that he’ll be around. …Micah’s excited about the opportunity to step up in a leadership role. … I think that’s one of the reasons why he will be around.”