It’s summer in Dallas, so you know what that means: triple-digit temps and Jerry Jones treating the salary cap like it’s printed in pencil. With training camp around the corner, Cowboys fans are once again squinting at contract numbers like they’re decoding ancient runes. Half prayer, half panic. You’d think lessons would’ve been learned by now. You’d be wrong. Pittsburgh went and dropped a contract grenade that blew up the whole market.
It wasn’t just some guy getting paid; it was a big, blinking billboard screaming, ‘Hey Jerry, this is what it costs now.’ Suddenly, the clock’s ticking louder, the window’s feeling tighter, and somewhere, a certain superstar linebacker is staring at that new deal like, ‘So… where’s mine? Plus interest.’ We are talking about TJ Watt, who finally signed the extension.
But $108 million guaranteed? This would only mean that someone else would ride on that inflation. And those past mistakes? They’re going to cost. A lot! Paul Cortese made it absolutely clear. “Dak, CeeDee, and Micah should have all been done a year earlier. Tyler Smith’s contract should already have ink dry as well. With the money saved, Dallas should even be talking to George Pickens about a long-term contract. But they didn’t, and here we are like fools again,” he wrote on X.
Dak, CeeDee, and Micah should have all been done a year earlier. Tyler Smith’s contract should already have ink dry as well. With the money saved, Dallas should even be talking to George Pickens about a long-term contract. But they didn’t and here we are like fools again.
— The Rev (@RealPaulCortese) July 17, 2025
According to analyst Paul Cortese, the Cowboys are now staring at a Micah Parsons price tag that’s $28–30 million higher than it would’ve been last year. Yes, more. A lot more. But it didn’t have to get to this point.
Dallas has had plenty of time to get this done. They could’ve locked him up last offseason. And it would’ve been way cheaper. Since 2021, he’s racked up 52.5 sacks, and he’s always in the same breath as Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby… you name it. And yet? Still no deal. No long-term security. Just Micah stacking stats and leverage. It reminds us of what happened in 2024, when Dak Prescott waited for his contract, while other quarterbacks in the market, like Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, and Jordan Love, all got their money. That delay also cost Jones a lot while extending Prescott.
And it’s not just a Micah thing, either. Jerry could’ve wrapped up the whole core last offseason. Dak Prescott, CeeDee, and Micah. That’s cap flexibility, roster control, and maybe even room to lock a long-term contract for a weapon like George Pickens. Instead? They waited to sign Ceedee and Dak midseason. And Micah? Still waiting. Reports said he’s eyeing a $45 to $50 million a year. And after this Watt extension? He won’t settle for less. And why would he? If a 30-year-old linebacker resets the market, a guy like Micah, 26, won’t take a penny less.
All eyes are on Watt’s extension, but Dallas is taking notes
Let’s be honest: no matter how long the saga was, we sort of always knew this would get done. But many didn’t know it would be this big. A three-year, $123 million extension. $108 million guaranteed. $41 million per year. Insane. And now? Dallas is the one scrambling for cover, because that deal just cranked Micah Parsons’ price tag up to ‘hope you saved your receipts‘ levels.
This is more than a contract extension. This is the market being reset. It’s a new non-quarterback benchmark. TJ Watt’s AAV eclipses Cleveland‘s Myles Garrett ($40M) and Bengals‘ Ja’Marr Chase ($40.25M). Yes, it’s messy. But that’s not to take anything away from Watt. He deserves every bit of it.
Watt’s been the soul of Pittsburgh’s defense for years, and honestly, it was past time they paid him like it. We’re talking about a four-time All-Pro, the 2021 DPOY, and a guy who still dropped 11.5 sacks last season. Oh, and he recorded 53 QB pressures. Yeah, that’s not normal!
After those ‘holding out‘ rumours, relief is now across the Steel City. Watt’s locked in, the defense keeps its backbone, and the Steelers avoid the kind of contract drama that turns into an offseason soap opera. But for the front office? You can call it bittersweet.
What makes this whole TJ Watt deal a problem for Dallas isn’t just the number, but what happens next. Because the second that contract hit the internet, you know every GM in the league sat up a little straighter… and Jerry Jones probably dropped his coffee.
Micah Parsons’ contract now looks less like strategic timing and more like financial self-sabotage. Because make no mistake: Parsons, who many consider the next great defensive unicorn, just got an extra $30 million in leverage. And Watt did the talking for him, no ‘V’ emojis from him this time.
The post Jerry Jones Refuses to Correct Past Mistakes After Steelers Confirm $108M Extension appeared first on EssentiallySports.
