Contract extensions are the talk of the town in the NFL right now. From Trey Hendrickson to T.J. Watt, holdouts and uncertainties are throwing the franchise plans out of balance. And in the middle of it all, there’s one more name that’s staying firm behind the need for a new contract. The Dallas Cowboys DE Micah Parsons.

Just a few days ago, Clarence Hill Jr. reported that Micah Parsons had a meeting with Jerry Jones. As Hill wrote, “He told Jones what he wanted and Jones was amenable to it. He also told Jones to call his agent David Mulugheta to finalize the terms and the language.” But that call hasn’t come from Jones yet, and with this wait, things are looking a little more grim for the Cowboys’ front office now. The number Jones was “amenable to” may no longer be on the table.

With the payout markets going up every single day, the players are landing bigger and bigger contracts. Myles Garrett sits on the payout throne right with his latest contract that gives him a massive $40 million a year. And as per recent reports, Micah Parsons has seen the deal that the Steelers are planning to give to T.J. Watt. And the number on that deal is much bigger than what Parsons has been negotiating with Jerry Jones for himself. The result? Parsons wants a bigger deal for himself now. On his current contract, Micah Parsons is set to make a little worth of $24 million this year. But with his contributions to the team, the demand for a bigger number seems very justified.

Over his four years with the Cowboys, Parsons has amassed 52.5 sacks and 9 forced fumbles. The last season was his career-low (12 sacks), but that was due to a high ankle sprain, because of which he could only play in 13 games. Even without a new contract, he has shown dedication to the team by showing up at the mandatory minicamps. Even HC Brian Schottenheimer was in Parsons’ corner a few days ago when he reportedly shared a phone call with Parsons. Schottenheimer said, “I know this is weird for everybody, but look, you’re handling everything the right way, bro… This thing is going to get worked out.” But now, with the latest update from Clarence Hill Jr, Parsons’ situation is only getting more complicated. TJ Watt’s contract seems to be on the horizon, and the waiting game won’t work well for Jerry Jones.

TJ Watt’s incoming contract’s effect on Micah Parsons

Myles Garrett set the ceiling for the defensive market this offseason. With a $40 million a year payout, he became the highest-paid defensive player going into the new season. And for Steelers’ veteran LB TJ Watt, he may be demanding a number closer to Garrett’s deal. TJ Watt had once briefly become the highest-paid defensive player in the league, but that was way back in 2021 when he got his first extension. TJ Watt’s average annual salary is $28 million, and this year, he will earn a base salary of $21 million. But if the Steelers hand him a deal before Micah Parsons’ deal with the Cowboys, the price tag for Parsons could have only gone up.

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin had recently expressed the desire to get a deal done quickly for T.J. Watt. While it’s unclear how much the deal will be worth, it will certainly bring him closer to the current market benchmark set by Garrett’s deal. There is also the question of Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson. With both Watt and Hendrickson holding out for bigger deals, the teams will be moving quickly to finalize the deals and bring their veterans back into the mix.

If both Trey Hendrickson and T.J. Watt get the deals they want, and if it pushes up for contention with Myles Garrett, Parsons will expect the same treatment from his franchise. With Micah Parsons reportedly having seen the number on TJ Watt’s incoming deal, he will push his camp to up the number on his own negotiations. What almost seemed like a done deal a few days ago has blown open again with bigger expectations. What will Jerry Jones do?