{"id":12705,"date":"2024-12-20T08:46:18","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T08:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=12705"},"modified":"2024-12-20T08:46:18","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T08:46:18","slug":"micah-parsons-i-dont-need-40-million-per-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=12705","title":{"rendered":"Micah Parsons: \u201cI don\u2019t need $40 [million]\u201d per year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nearly two weeks ago, Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons suggested that there\u2019s no real difference\u00a0between $30 million and $40 million per year<\/a><\/span>, if a player is in the right place.<\/p>\n

Today, he reiterated that fact. And, in so doing, he continued to give more leverage to the team for his looming contract talks.<\/p>\n

He said he doesn\u2019t need to be the highest-paid defensive player.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it would be nice?\u201d he was asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be nice to be surrounded by good players,\u2019 Parsons said. \u201cPlayers that will help me win championships, I\u2019ll say that. To me, having $40 million and being chipped every play and slid into three, four people, that doesn\u2019t sound too fun to me. So, to me, it\u2019s about keeping people that can make a difference and obviously we\u2019re going to get Sam [Williams] back, some players back. We\u2019ll see how it breaks down, but I want to keep as many guys as possible. They will make the cap work, I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

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So he doesn\u2019t need $40 million?<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t need 40.\u201d<\/p>\n

How about $38 million?<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to be somewhere where I can have a lake house,\u201d Parsons said. \u201cIt could be anywhere, it could be a lake house in Lake Tahoe, you don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also said he plans to work with the Cowboys in order to do a deal that allows them to attack free agency. The sooner a deal is done, the sooner his $24 million cap number for 2025 can be reduced with a long-term deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to be back with this team,\u201d Parsons said. \u201cThis offseason, I want to be here. I want to get these guys right. I want to take big steps, so hopefully it can be done sooner than later so we can attack the offseason.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s music to the Joneses\u2019 ears. After being squeezed to give massive deals in recent years to Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, and Dak Prescott (twice), the Cowboys are about to get a hometown discount from Parsons.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s his prerogative. But he\u2019s selling himself short \u2014 and he possibly won\u2019t be thrilled if he takes less money and the Cowboys don\u2019t add more help.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n