OXNARD, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stood yards away from talented edge rusher Micah Parsons during his team’s joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday. However, that relative proximity didn’t lead to an advance in contract talks with the Cowboys’ top defensive star.
Jones shared he has not spoken to Parsons nor started contract negotiations with his agent, David Mulugheta, since he demanded a trade on Friday. He also went on to say that he’s uncertain if Parsons will play in the Cowboys’ season opener against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4, which also serves as the opener to the 2025 NFL regular season.
“No, absolutely not,” Jones said. “A big part of that is his decision. How would I know that? I’m just saying, but I’m urgent.”
Jones and a disgruntled Parsons traded jabs over the weekend. Frustrated with the lack of progress on a contract extension, Parsons demanded a trade in a long post on X on Friday.
[Related: What Would Trading for Cowboys Star Micah Parsons Cost and Who Might Pay It?]
The following day, Jones said he would not trade Parsons and dismissed any concerns about the standoff, telling fans not to lose any sleep over it.
The Cowboys and Parsons remain at a contract impasse on a contract extension that will likely make the Penn State product the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Parsons, 26, is in the final year of his rookie contract that will pay him $24 million.
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Parsons once again did not practice on Tuesday, continuing his “hold-in.” He watched Tuesday’s practice with his white No. 11 jersey on and sweats from the sideline. He spent part of practice speaking with former Rams offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth, who has served as a mentor.
Jones reiterated that he believes the Cowboys and Parsons came to a handshake agreement on contract terms in a discussion between the two earlier this year without Parsons’ agent present — something the 26-year-old pass rusher vehemently disagrees with.
“There’s no question that in the case of a player contract, you have to have it in writing,” Jones said. “All parties do. We have a contract in writing, yet we’re still talking about renegotiating it.”
Asked what the sticking point is between the two sides, Jones had this to say: “There’s points of varying degrees and influences in not having something done, but nothing I would say is out of the ordinary.”
While the joint practice between the Cowboys and the Rams provided a much-needed distraction from the ongoing contract stalemate, Jones still sees a player in Parsons he wants to keep in the fold.
“I think the world of Micah,” Jones said. “Like I’ve said, I’ve had a lot of social time with Micah — which isn’t always the case — but I have. He’s one of the brightest people I’ve ever been around. He’s very, very talented. And how we ultimately net him in with a future is a challenge.
“But I’m built for it, and he’s built for it.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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