Training camp season is heating up across the NFL as all 32 teams ramp up preparations. But things are especially tense in Dallas, where Micah Parsons and the front office appear to be drifting further apart. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Parsons should consider taking a drastic step to make his position unmistakably clear.
“The nuclear option hovers over the noise. Parsons could leave camp. And the Cowboys would have to decide after five days whether to shut him down for the full season. On one hand, he would be paid nothing. On the other hand, the Cowboys wouldn’t have him. Given that Jerry also described Micah on Sunday as ‘maybe the most talented player we’ve had,’ the Cowboys likely wouldn’t shelve him for the full season if he leaves and doesn’t return within five days. However it plays out, Micah won’t get full value for his abilities unless he takes a stand. Especially since a walkout would make those ‘pay Micah’ chants much, much louder,” Florio wrote.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter echoed that sentiment, suggesting the situation may go beyond simple contract disagreements.
“This sounds different to me. This sounds a little bit more personal from both sides. It sounds like Dallas is upset with the fact it felt like it was getting closer to a deal and that deal went sideways. And I think Micah Parsons feels like this deal should have been done,” Schefter said.
Adding another layer to the standoff, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported a fundamental misunderstanding between Parsons’ camp and the Cowboys’ front office.
“The team believed those conversations were negotiations and that it had a deal, multiple league sources said,” Russini wrote. “But Parsons believed the talks were just conversations and wanted his agent to handle the negotiations. When his agent attempted to start negotiations, the Cowboys declined to engage with him and told the pass rusher that they believed they already had a deal. Now, the team is refusing to engage with Parsons' agent at all, creating a tense standoff amid increasing friction.”
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This situation is quickly spiraling into one of the NFL’s ugliest offseason dramas. Parsons is a cornerstone of the Cowboys’ defense, but the ongoing standoff makes it appear as if key figures in the organization may not want him around. If Dallas doesn’t move past this impasse, another team may end up winning the Micah Parsons sweepstakes.