The Dallas Cowboys will pick up Micah Parsons‘ fifth-year option, but the decision could potentially alienate the franchise and one of its brightest stars.
Fresh off being named a First-Team All-Pro for the first time, and finishing as the runner-up in NFL Defensive Player of The Year voting, the Cowboys picked up Parsons‘ fifth-year option but did so as a defensive end, according to The Dallas Morning News.
While it makes sense that Dallas would label Parsons as a defensive end, based on the fact that he played a majority of snaps in 2023 as an edge rusher, the move also has significant cap ramifications for the Cowboys and when it comes to Parsons’ paycheck.
Under the terms of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, the defensive end fifth-year option is slated to cost $21.32 million. However, Parsons has lined up as an off-ball linebacker frequently in the Cowboys’ defense, and the linebacker tag carries a $24 million price tag for the upcoming season.
By classifying Parsons as a defensive end rather than a linebacker, the Cowboys save $2.68 million under the cap while the 24-year-old star will make slightly less than he could have.
Pro Football Focus points out that Parsons played 88% of his snaps at defensive end, but with new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer arriving, it remains to be seen if how Parsons will be used moving forward.
Dan Quinn Raves About Cowboys’ Micah Parsons
Parsons’ versatility is one of the attributes that makes him one of the most feared defensive players in the league, and that didn’t go unnoticed by former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
“One of the fun parts about Micah is he pushed me to think differently,” Quinn told reporters during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. “When you have a rare player, how do you find unique things about them and then try to feature those in that way? I think he was probably the most rare that I was able to find, he could be off the ball, on the ball, rush over a guard, move him over a tackle.
“First and foremost you had to be a really smart person to be able to play those kinds of different positions and he is. And, you have to have the competitiveness to say ‘I can go attack him, I can go attack him [too],’ because as you know, the better you get, you get more attention. You have to find new ways to beat a chip, beat a double-team and find unique ways to do that.”
Quinn’s decision to move Parsons primarily to defensive end, which was his natural position in high school prior to transitioning to inside linebacker at Penn State, seemed to bring out the best both in Parsons and the Cowboys’ defense.
The move propelled Parsons to post a career-high 14 sacks during the 2023 season, along with 64 total tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Quinn, now the head coach of the Washington Commanders says he couldn’t wait to see what Parsons was capable of with his hand in the dirt.
“You had to explore it, you had to try it,” Quinn said. “At Penn State, he wasn’t as much as a defensive end as we utilized him into that space. So, finding unique ways to do it, and putting a player like him in a spot where he can do his thing, that’s what I enjoy most as a coach.”
How Much Cap Space Do the Cowboys Have?
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys need to get to work on creating cap space before the new league year opens on March 13.
Dallas must get cap-compliant prior to free agency getting underway, but the Cowboys are currently $4.03 million over the cap.
A potential new contract extension for quarterback Dak Prescott should create some spending flexibility, but the Cowboys have some difficult decisions to make in the coming weeks.
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