“It’s going to cost them more.” It wasn’t just a warning. It was a prophecy that came straight from Micah Parsons himself. The all-world edge rusher for the Cowboys didn’t have to skip camp or have a tantrum. He just threw in a quote and let the leverage work itself out. Because you don’t have to bluff when you’re Micah Parsons, a Defensive Player of the Year finalist in each season of your career. You simply breathe, and the cost increases. And that’s what he’s doing, just going around making appearances casually, like in the Fanatics fest.
Dallas knows exactly who they’re dealing with. Parsons is more than just their top defensive player. He is the driving force behind Dan Quinn’s defense (even after Quinn left), the chaos agent offenses triple-team, and the oddball who, if allowed, can line up anywhere from nose tackle to cornerback. He’s already third all-time in Cowboys history for sacks in his first three seasons—and he’s still on a rookie contract. Which brings us to the real drama.
On The Rich Eisen Show, Rich Eisen and NFL insider Tom Pelissero revealed the actual situation. To put it mildly, Jerry Jones isn’t exactly in a strong position. “He’s [Micah] just like going about his business of being Micah Parsons in the world. He knows it’s coming,” said Eisen. Pelissero then hit the pressure point: “By Micah’s own words, he and Jerry Jones had essentially a handshake agreement on a deal months ago…If anything, he’s going to get more than what he would’ve gotten had they finalized the deal back in March.” Yes. You read correctly. This agreement was finalized. But thanks to the Cowboys’ signature stall tactic, Parsons is now staring at a contract jackpot—and he’s letting the market do the dirty work for him.
The #DallasCowboys and #RuleTheJungle fan bases are still on contract watch for Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson — are there any updates?#NFL pic.twitter.com/qFi7gAV85i
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) June 27, 2025
Here’s the trouble with playing the waiting game: occasionally, the other guy becomes richer while you wait. Jerry has made this mistake before. He blinked on CeeDee Lamb, hesitated on Dak Prescott, and is now attempting to slow-play the most dangerous defender he has ever selected. But while Dallas stalls, the edge rusher market is having a glow-up. Maxx Crosby just locked in $35.5 million a year. Myles Garrett hit $40 million. T.J. Watt is currently negotiating his next contract. If Watt breaks $42 million annually? Micah’s price jumps again.
As Rich Eisen clarified, this isn’t lost on other top pass-rushers either. “If I’m Trey Hendrickson…I want Micah and Watt to sign first.” It’s a ripple effect. And at the center of it is Parsons, who, per Pelissero, has the Cowboys boxed in. “With Micah, my sense would be, it’s not even about the money, because if they had a handshake agreement, the money’s already in line. Now this is about…does he want to be under contract all the way out until his mid-30s, (3:19) or does he want to get another bite at the apple around 29 or 30.”
Let’s decode that: Micah Parsons is not signing a six-year Dallas special. He’s angling for something shorter, more player-friendly—like what Dak got. And the Cowboys will likely have to bend, or break. But here’s the kicker: Parsons isn’t holding out. He’s at minicamp. Running drills. FaceTiming coaches. Making sure no one can accuse him of being a distraction. He’s keeping receipts and still showing up like a leader. But Parsons isn’t the only one waiting for a contract right now.
Trey Hendrickson and the domino that makes Dallas sweat
Trey Hendrickson is playing the same game, but with more urgency. In contrast to Micah, he is older, has fewer bites remaining, and is skipping stuff. And he’s not doing it in silence. Hendrickson recognised the business tone in the passive-aggressive “$50K fine per day” text that Bengals coach Zac Taylor sent. That was a warning, not a compromise. Hendrickson also took offense. As he should. The same player who helped the Bengals end their postseason drought is now being viewed as a replacement.
But as Polissero hinted, the deal is almost done in Dallas. In Cincy, the vibe is bleak. Domonique Foxworth said it best: “I do think that they are a team that believes they’re in their Super Bowl window, that’s why they paid both their receivers, why they paid their quarterback. And their best defensive player at a premier position is not getting paid, it doesn’t seem like they’re taking this seriously.”
Adam Schefter’s report only confirmed the mess: The Bengals and Hendrickson aren’t even arguing money anymore. They’re stuck on the length of the deal. That’s how dysfunctional this has become. And with training camp looming, Hendrickson now has to decide whether to hold in, skip altogether, or blow it all up.
If Watt’s deal goes through and resets the market, Micah Parsons becomes the NFL’s most expensive non-quarterback. And suddenly, Jerry Jones doesn’t have a contract issue—he has a mutiny. Because when Parsons finally puts pen to paper, it won’t be about loyalty. It’ll be about making Dallas pay for every second they waited.
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