Cowboys: Micah Parsons to ‘participate’ in camp with contract unsettled

Wearing a helmet, shorts and a long sleeve compression shirt underneath a dark blue No. 11 jersey, Micah Parsons removed the mystery from his training camp plan on Tuesday by joining teammates on the field in Oxnard, Calif., for the first full team workout.
Parsons stretched with the team and participated, albeit selectively, in position drills and other portions of practice as head coach Brian Schottenheimer said earlier in the day was expected.
“He’s going to participate,” Schottenheimer said before Tuesday’s workout. “It’s a ramp-up portion. But all of the walkthrough, mock stuff and individual stuff.
“There will be different versions of participation. The biggest thing for me right now is he’s here.”
When team drills began, Parsons was mostly a passive observer one day after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones meandered through a press conference with thoughts on contract timing, risk and leadership as it relates to the 26-year-old.
Jones said he was thankful Parsons attended training camp and was planning to be on the field with peers. He at one point referred to Parsons as “Michael Parson” and rerouted a question about escalating rates for top-end pass rushers with a statement about Parsons being “hurt six games” last season.
“Just because we sign him doesn’t mean we are going to have him,” Jones said, jumping in as Schottenheimer discussed what it means to have Parsons around.
Point of fact, Parsons missed four games with an ankle injury in 2024 and posted 12 sacks to push his career total to 52.5.
Under contract for 2025 at a rate of $24 million — the fifth-year option on his rookie agreement — Parsons himself might opt to reroute the conversation if progress toward an extension isn’t made soon. Last August, CeeDee Lamb was placed on the reserve/did not report list by the Cowboys. He did not attend training camp and Dallas didn’t agree to a contract with the record-setting wide receiver until Aug. 26, a four-year, $136 million deal with $100 million guaranteed. At the time, it made Lamb the top-paid wideout in the NFL.
Parsons could also decide to pack his belongings and exit Oxnard to further his case for a contract.
Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, 30, is not reporting to training camp in Cincinnati because he has only one year left on a four-year deal. But Hendrickson’s scheduled salary of $15.6 million is nowhere near the highest-paid pass rushers in the NFL after division rivals with the Steelers and Browns joined the $40-million-and-over club this offseason.
Pittsburgh made T.J. Watt the top-paid pass rusher and defensive player in the league at $41 million per year average with a three-year, $123 million deal last week.
Myles Garrett brings in $40 million per year under the terms of his four-year deal with the Cleveland Browns signed March 7.
Parsons is at least three years younger than all three players.