Todd Archer
OXNARD, Calif. — As Dallas Cowboys proprietor and common supervisor Jerry Jones spoke to the group earlier than Saturday's observe, quite a lot of followers yelled some style of “Pay Micah!”
Sure, Jones heard the craving for the Cowboys to signal Micah Parsons to a contract extension.
“I heard it gentle, however not in comparison with how I heard them say, ‘Pay Lamb [last year],'” Jones mentioned on Sunday of the CeeDee Lamb negotiations from final 12 months. “That was a faint little sound in comparison with the best way they had been hollering final 12 months, ‘Pay Lamb.' … Whoever's not in, you may depend on just a few hollering that. But it surely was an enormous loud chant final 12 months on Lamb.”
The Cowboys finally signed Lamb to a $136 million contract in late August after the Cowboys returned to The Star in Frisco, Texas, from their summer season dwelling in Oxnard.
Jones was requested if there was an replace on the Parsons talks after the group signed tight finish Jake Ferguson to a four-year contract price as much as $52 million on Sunday.
“Actually I haven't got something to remark there in any respect,” Jones mentioned. “Simply no remark.”
Govt vp Stephen Jones mentioned the Cowboys would maintain all Parsons discussions “in-house.” However he, too, heard the followers Saturday.
“It would not change something,” he mentioned. “We need to pay Micah, too. He is obtained to need to be paid, too.”
The Cowboys' talks with Ferguson intensified not lengthy earlier than coaching camp earlier than coming to an settlement Saturday evening on a deal that features $30 million assured and a $12 million signing bonus.
“Individuals say, ‘Oh, there's different spots you could possibly go,'” Ferguson mentioned. “I keep in mind sitting down, [thinking], ‘I do not need to be anyplace else.' Taking part in right here is superior. From the beginning, it has been a privilege to put on this star.”
A fourth-round decide in 2022, Ferguson has 149 catches for 1,429 yards and seven touchdowns in 47 video games. His finest season got here in 2023 when he caught 71 passes for 761 yards and 5 touchdowns and was added as a substitute to the Professional Bowl for San Francisco's George Kittle.
Ferguson and Jason Witten are the one tight ends in workforce historical past to report two 50-plus-catch seasons of their first three seasons. Final season, Ferguson caught 59 passes for 494 yards however didn't rating a landing. He suffered a sprained MCL within the season-opening win in opposition to the Cleveland Browns that restricted him for many of the first half of the season. Within the second half of the season, he missed two video games with a concussion.
“We definitely have appreciated what he is been in his profession with us, not solely because the participant we would like on the market however he is additionally a pacesetter competitively,” Jerry Jones mentioned. “What he does he actually does juice it up for everyone. And that is a consensus of all his teammates and coaches. So we're glad to have him. He is obtained a house right here for his profession.”
Ferguson isn't the one participant the Cowboys wish to have a house for his or her careers.
Along with Parsons, the Cowboys produce other gamers they wish to prolong, like left guard Tyler Smith, who's beneath contract via 2026, cornerback DaRon Bland and doubtlessly vast receiver George Pickens. Professional Bowl kicker Brandon Aubrey is about to be a restricted free agent after the season.
One soccer axiom is takeaways are available bunches. Might new offers are available bunches for the Cowboys?
“They will,” Stephen Jones mentioned. “I imply we nonetheless clearly obtained quite a bit happening. You do not actually like to speak about them till they're executed. I might've informed you this deal [Ferguson] might have gotten executed earlier than camp began. However you simply obtained to dot all of the i's and cross all of the t's. Everyone's obtained to get comfy, and also you go from there.”
