Three of the Dallas Cowboys’ most important players are eligible for new contracts, but one of the franchise’s Hall of Famers isn’t convinced Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, or Micah Parsons are approaching their negotiations the right way.
During an offseason in which Cowboys owner Jerry Jones vowed the franchise was “all-in” Michael Irvin isnt’ buying it.“They haven’t done anything,” Irvin told Clarence E. HIll of The Star-Telegram.Since losing to the Green Bay Packers, at home, in blowout fashion in the NFC Wild Card playoffs in January, the Cowboys have watched All-Pro tackle Tyron Smith and emerging center Tyler Biadasz depart via free agency. Meanwhile, negotiations seem to have stalled when comes to new deals for Prescott, Parsons, and Lamb, who is holding out as training camp begins.
“The biggest problem is who you’re paying,” Irvin said. “We’re about to take three guys who I hear Dak’s people talking noise in the media all the time, CeeDee’s people talking on social media and Micah Parsons people, talking in the media or Micah himself.
“We got our top three guys that we’re about to give all the money in the world. And their families (are) always running their (expletive mouth) in the media. That is a hard place to be. So what it says to me is you’re about to give money to three guys that are not even together.”
Irvin, of course, won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys, during the franchise’s most recent run of championship success culminating with hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1996.
If the Cowboys believe Prescott, Lamb, and Parsons can finally break through as a new core to make a legitimate Super Bowl run — beyond the divisional round of the playoffs, there’s little doubt they will be paid accordingly.
Micah Parsons Sounds Off on Contract Uncertainty
If the Cowboys believe Parsons is the centerpiece of the defense, and one of the premier players at a premium position, it wouldn’t be surprising if Dallas eventually makes him one of the highest-paid pass rushers in the sport.
Parsons believes a lot is riding on this upcoming season for him, and his teammates.
“If you kind of figure out how the money goes and how the contract goes,” Parsons said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “You kind of understand that business side. I think CeeDee takes up the value of two or three players. You’re talking about $30 million-plus per year. If you do that, how can you afford to pay CeeDee Lamb?” Parsons said. “That goes on for other guys potentially.
“The mindset I have is we have seven All-Pros or however the count may be. It might be more, it might be less, we got at least three guys I know can be All-Pro. I think a lot of guys are going to have breakout years. I think that plays into it too. When you talk about all these guys, it just leads to saying, ‘Hey, when are the other guys going to step up and be better for the team?’”
