OXNARD, Calif. – Before we get into the who said what on Saturday from Cowboys’ training camp about Micah Parsons’ trade demands, here’s a dose of reality: The Cowboys are no closer to a deal with him than they were when the 2024 season ended.
The day after Parsons’ trade request, the Cowboys and their fans responded.
Fans rhythmically chanted Parsons’ name after practice.
One fan, wearing a snazzy hat that read Gordos Hot Chicken, held a sign saying, “Pay Micah.”
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Another fan wearing a blue Cowboys hat had a “Sell The Team!” sign in his possession.
Brian Schottenheimer offered that he wasn’t going to speak too much on Parsons’ trade demands during his nearly 30-minute news conference. He did say he spoke with Parsons and that this whole affair will not be a distraction to the team. For the first time this summer, it appears the head coach is a little tired of talking about a player who’s not practicing.
“I’ve talked to Micah, I’ve talked to all of our guys and [had] great conversations,” he said. “Not going to share with you guys what he and I talked about. But again, I know you guys are going to ask it, I get that. I’m not going to continue to talk about Micah’s contract situation.”
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The man in charge, team owner Jerry Jones, calmly said contract talks stalled because Parsons took a March contract offer off the table.
Parsons, while not speaking with reporters, attended his ninth practice on Saturday, continuing his hold-in. Or rather, sitting out with a tight back. Parsons watched practice wearing a Cowboys hoodie for the first time over a jersey, the custom gear of choice in previous days. He seemed pleasant, chatting it up with Brandon Aubrey, Dak Prescott, George Pickens and others. He gave a fist bump to head athletic trainer Jim Maurer and even caught a few passes on the Juggs machine. There was no clear interaction with Jerry Jones or Stephen Jones.
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Jerry Jones made a few tongue-in-cheek comments about Parsons’ tight back and compared it to asking for a trade.
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“Again, I don’t really place that with any real seriousness,” Jones said of the trade request. “Micah got a bad back … that’s like being traded. You weigh it the same.”
Jones said Parsons’ request to be traded is a negotiating ploy.
It seems Parsons and the Cowboys have opposing views on nearly everything but one issue: Parsons and Jones have each said they met in March, where a verbal contract offer was made.
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Parsons told Jones he needed to speak with his agent, David Mulugheta.
But Jones dismissed the notion of needed to talk to the agent, which normally happens to secure contracts in the NFL.
Jones compared Parsons telling him to speak with Mulugheta is like a kid asking mom for something and then going to dad for approval.
“We agreed and let me see if I can get my agent in on it,” Jones said.
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Of course, Parsons has an opposing view.
Yet, Jones blamed the pass rusher for the stalemate.
“Micah took it off,” Jones said of the contract offer. “I’m just saying he took it off.”
Jones was asked why the Cowboys won’t call Mulugheta to get the ball rolling officially.
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“When we have a problem on the team with a player, I don’t find the agent,” Jones said. “He’s nowhere to be found, okay.”
Okay.
It just seems there’s plenty of unnecessary posturing. If Parsons wants out, just don’t show up to practice, take the $50,000 per day fine and have the agent reach out to the team and say “deuces”.
The Cowboys, mainly Jones, must get over this verbal conversation where there’s a belief a deal agreed to and tell the lead negotiators to get on the phone with Mulugheta.
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“What y’all don’t know is what I offered him and it’s a helluva lot more than you think I did that’s what you don’t know,” Jones said.
At some point, this will all end in late August with Parsons signing the largest contract for a non-quarterback in league history.
Right now, nothing is close to being finalized.
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