The Dallas Cowboys are less than a week away from reporting to training camp in Oxnard, Calif., and all indications show that star defensive end Micah Parsons will be in attendance despite not having a contract extension locked in with the team beyond this season. Whether he actually participates on the field will be the bigger question when the team does settle into Southern California.
Speaking at his jersey retirement ceremony at Harrisburg High School on Tuesday in Harrisburg, Penn., Parsons didn’t show any nerves about the contract not being done. Instead, he’s leaving it out of his control.
“To me, I know God got my back,” Parsons said to a group of reporters. “He took me this far. He’s not ready to be done with me, and I see the will He keeps putting inside of me. I’m not phased by anything. I’m just going to keep doing things the right way. Things are going to play out the way they’re meant to play out. For me, I just try to do it the right way.”
Parsons was in attendance for most of OTAs and the entirety of the team’s mandatory minicamp, although his participation varied by day. Still, his mere presence was enough to praise after consecutive offseasons for the Cowboys that have seen veterans hold out.
“I just work harder,” he said. “To me, I look at it like if people don’t see your value, you don’t cry and lay up. You just work harder. You got to show people your value. I just think that’s the difference.”
The edge rusher market appears to be at a standstill as Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and Pittsbugh Steelers defensive end T.J. Watt each await a new contract. Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson could also make a case to be in that mix.
But for Parsons, he isn’t keeping an eye on the market or anybody else’s move before being ready to sign the deal.
“Their numbers got nothing to do with mine,” he said. “And my numbers ain’t got nothing to do with them. I’m just going to get mine no matter what.”
“The markets change every year. Their salary cap went up, like, another 18-percent this year. So, if you want to know contracts, all the contracts are based off of percentage. Each high-paid player takes a percentage of the salary cap. It’s not really the number. It goes off by the salary cap.”
Sounds like the man has had some good talks with his agent.
Speaking of, his representation, led by super-agent David Mulugheta, has taken over the negotiations for the deal. While there hasn’t been much movement as of late, Parsons has left it in his agent’s hands to talk with Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and the rest of the front office.
“I just stay out of David’s handle on it,” Parsons said. “And, I mean, to be fair, Jerry’s a businessman. Let him handle his business.”
A point of contention came earlier this offseason when Jerry Jones said he didn’t know Mulugheta’s name. For Parsons, it was taken in stride and not with any animosity.
“His son [Stephen] and another person handle the contracts, so that thing didn’t surprise me too much.”
The Cowboys will report for training camp on Sunday, July 20 before beginning practice on July 22.