Micah Parsons has been absent for parts of OTAs this year as he continues to await a Cowboys extension. A holdout during upcoming minicamp would represent an escalation in this situation, but that will not take place.
Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said he was unsure if Parsons planned to attend the mandatory practices when speaking to the media (via All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr.). He added there is nothing new with respect to the status of extension talks. There is still work to be done on that front, and Parsons and owner Jerry Jones have not been in direct contact for weeks.
The All-Pro edge rusher took to social media to confirm he will indeed be present for minicamp. Choosing to be absent would have made Parsons open to fines, but he will attend (something he also did last offseason, the first in which he was eligible for an extension). Players often hold in for minicamp and/or training camp by electing not to take part in on-field work until an extension is worked out. It will be interesting to see if that takes place in this case.
A flight delay prevented Parsons from arriving at OTAs earlier this week, as noted by Hill. Regardless of how the 26-year-old’s attendance and participation (or lack thereof) plays out, the matter of his second contract will of course remain a key storyline for the Cowboys. An April report indicated Parsons and Jerry Jones worked out the bulk of an extension agreement, but no deal has been signed yet. Until that changes, the four-time Pro Bowler will remain on track for free agency next spring.
Parsons is owed $24.01MM this season as a result of the Cowboys’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option. A long-term deal will of course cost much more, and the top of the edge rush market now sits at $40MM per season. Myles Garrett moved the bar with his Browns extension, and T.J. Watt (Steelers) and Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) are expected to land lucrative new pacts soon. Parsons is notably younger than each member of that trio, however, something which could result in him becoming the league’s top earner amongst pass rushers by the start of the season.
Jones and the Cowboys have a well-earned reputation for taking longer than needed to work out extensions with their top players; the negotiation process for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb last summer provided a pair of clear examples on that point. Parsons hopes to have his mega-deal in hand by training camp at the latest, and while it remains to be seen if that will be the case he will be present to take part in any potential negotiations during Dallas’ minicamp.
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The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should absolutely see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking for a solution to their bottom-six surplus, and veteran forward Calle Jarnkrok remains at the center of trade discussions. However, according to The Fourth Period, trade talks surrounding the 33-year-old winger have failed to gain momentum. They write: “He has a $2.1M cap hit and owns a 10-team no-trade list. The market hasn’t been vibrant, to this point, but the Leafs will continue to dangle him.” Why can’t the Maple Leafs find a taker for Jarnkrok? Jarnkrok has quietly been on the trade block for much of the offseason, but general manager Brad Treliving has yet to find a taker. After adding several depth forwards this summer, the Leafs now face a crowded bottom six — and Jarnkrok’s age, injury history and $2.1M cap hit through 2025–26 aren’t helping his value. Since joining Toronto, Jarnkrok has appeared in only 71 games over two seasons, scoring a modest 28 points. While his defensive versatility and penalty-killing ability are assets, his declining offensive production and durability concerns have made teams wary. With training camp approaching, the Maple Leafs may be forced to keep Jarnkrok on the roster — or retain salary in a deal — if they want to create space and flexibility. Dropping his cap hit down to just over $1M would open up the market a little. Until then, the Swedish forward remains a trade candidate in limbo. This isn’t great news as moving Jarnkrok from the roster is an important item on the team’s to-do list. Treliving would like more cap space, and with Jarnkrok and David Kampf both still on the roster, it hampers the GM’s ability to do other things.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have plenty of suitors for third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A new team has reportedly entered the market for his services. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Phillies have reached out regarding Suarez. While Lauber did not provide any indication as to whether or not those talks have gained traction, the Phillies are an intriguing suitor for the Diamondbacks' third baseman. The Phillies' interest may be a recent development. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated on Friday that the Phillies could emerge as a suitor in the wake of third baseman Alec Bohm landing on the injured list with a fractured left rib. Suarez is in the midst of what is arguably his best season thus far. He has produced a .249/.321/.587 batting line in 421 plate appearances entering Saturday with 36 homers and a major league-leading 87 RBI. Suarez would be more than just another powerful bat in the lineup. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper are both left-handed hitters — adding Suarez would provide more balance in the batting order. He would also provide a counter against opposing managers bringing in a lefty reliever to face Schwarber and Harper. The biggest question would be how the Phillies would handle an eventual logjam on the roster. Bohm is expected to return from the IL in mid-August and would not have a clear path to regular at-bats if Suarez were acquired. Schwarber could theoretically return to left field to open up playing time at the DH spot, but his outfield defense is mediocre at best. However, as the Phillies are also looking to upgrade the outfield, where Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have been disappointments, adding Suarez could solve several problems in one fell swoop.
The Minnesota Vikings knew they were getting a strong-armed quarterback when they drafted J.J. McCarthy last year, but the second-year signal-caller may be just a bit too strong so far. McCarthy has taken the lead in training camp after the team let veteran Sam Darnold leave in free agency following his career-best season. The Vikings have returned to their plan to have McCarthy at the top of the depth chart after an injury ended his rookie season before it began, but the team has one concern with the quarterback so far -- he's throwing too hard. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said McCarthy has been throwing well overall, but sometimes puts too much velocity on throws that require more touch. "He's working on different trajectories," O'Connell said. "You're still seeing the revolutions on the ball but not that heavy finish." ESPN's Kevin Siefert reported that McCarthy is showing progress, dropping a nice pass into the hands of tight end T.J. Hockenson during practice then putting the proper touch on another pass to wide receiver Jalen Nailor. "There is still more work to be done, of course. Earlier in the practice, McCarthy had rifled a short pass toward running back Aaron Jones, who couldn't react fast enough to catch what should have been an easy completion," Siefert wrote. "But close observers of practice can see the progress."
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