The Dallas Cowboys are aiming to return to the playoffs after a disappointing 2024 season. Despite signing stars Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to significant extensions, the team ended with a 7-10 record and missed the playoffs, largely due to injuries. Now, the focus shifts to extending another key player, star pass rusher Micah Parsons. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones is eager to secure Parsons’ future in Dallas, but his method raises eyebrows.
During the annual league meetings in Tampa Bay, Florida, Jones expressed his intention to negotiate a deal with Parsons without involving the player’s agent, David Mulugheta, according to Pro Football Talk. This approach is not new for Jones; he previously attempted a similar strategy in 2019 while negotiating with running back Ezekiel Elliott. “That’s always been the issue with me and my approach to managing the Cowboys,” Jones stated. “When you cut out the people in between the money and the player, we all know that agents and attorneys have their own agenda. By the way, they are all taking money out of the pie too when they’re there. The straighter it goes from the source to the one receiving it, nine times out of ten that’s more efficient.”
However, negotiating without Mulugheta would put Jones at risk of violating the NFL’s current CBA by bypassing the NFLPA. Interestingly, Parsons has made it clear that he will not agree to any deal without Mulugheta’s involvement. “David is the best, and I will not be doing any deal without [David Mulugheta] involved! Like anyone with good sense, I hired experts for a reason. There is no one I trust more when it comes to negotiating contracts than David! There will be no backdoors in this contract negotiation.”
As the offseason progresses and the 2025 season approaches, it will be intriguing to see how this situation unfolds.
