OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones does not intend to trade Micah Parsons after the star defensive end said he wants to leave the team amid a breakdown in negotiating a contract extension.
“Surely you guys have been around this stuff and know how to recognize negotiation talk, that type of thing. And so that’s where I put that,” Jones said after practice Saturday, one day after Parsons posted on social media to request a trade.
No stranger to public and prolonged disputes with standout players, Jones insisted the standoff with Parsons is no different than past situations ranging from alternating approaches by quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb last year to the 1993 in-season holdout by running back Emmitt Smith.
“Well, it’s just that you’ve seen it so often, and you’ve seen it with other clubs. You go through the process. It’s a highly sensitive time when you’re guaranteeing somebody almost $200 million, that’s sensitive stuff,” Jones said.
Parsons remains at training camp, where he has yet to practice because of a back injury. He did not speak to reporters, leaving the field at the same time as Jones was fielding questions for more than 15 minutes.
Parsons is going into the final season of his five-year rookie contract and is seeking a new deal that would almost certainly make him the highest-paid defender in NFL history. He could be franchise tagged in 2026 without a contract extension.
A first-round draft pick in 2021, Parsons has at least 12 sacks in each of his four seasons with the Cowboys and 52 1/2 for his career.
The crux of the disagreement between Parsons and the Cowboys seems to be over the specific nature of talks with Jones during the spring that Parsons did not consider formal negotiations. Jones disagrees, believing they had come together on a deal.
“The key is that we’ve got an agreement,” Jones said. “Let’s really do understand that we’ve got an agreement now.”
Parsons wrote in his statement that the Cowboys have refused to engage his agent David Mulugheta in the process, which along with remarks by Jones during a July 21 press conference, contributed to his decision to publicly request a trade.
Asked if what was discussed in March was still on the table, Jones said, “Micah took it off. He took it off.”
Jones said that he expects Parsons to work off the framework established during the disputed spring talks.
“Now, if we’re going to adjust an agreement, then he’s a must and I’m a must,” Jones said of Parsons’ involvement in future negotiations.
Multiple Cowboys players have posted their support for Parsons on social media, with Lamb writing, “ Just pay the man.” Fans shouted their support for Parsons when Jones walked on the field midway through practice, and there was a sustained chant of “Let’s pay Micah!” at the end of Saturday’s workout.
Jones did not answer directly when asked if he expects Parsons will be on the Cowboys for their season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4. He later expressed his belief that the current hostility with Parsons will be resolved in a satisfactory manner for all involved.
“I enjoy Micah, but as always, in any relationship, there’s different moods at different times of your relationship,” Jones said. “That’s what it is. Don’t lose any sleep over it. That’s the one thing I would say to our fans, don’t lose any sleep over it.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
