Micah Parsons Is Being Blamed For Rival NFL Player’s $22-Million Loss

Micah Parsons. Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Micah Parsons Is Being Blamed For Rival NFL Player’s $22-Million Loss

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Orlando Silva | Last updated Apr 29, 2026 1:12 PM ET

Micah Parsons indirectly messed with a rival player’s financial options by just being a terrific player. After the Dallas Cowboys shipped him to Green Bay, he agreed to a four-year, $188 million contract extension with the Packers.

He reset the market after failing to reach an agreement with Jerry Jones in Dallas, but that decision affected another player months later. As an edge-rusher, he should be grouped with players like Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby.

Instead, he is listed as a linebacker, although he doesn’t play that position. All these factors led to an uncomfortable decision by the Detroit Lions.

Micah Parsons’ Ruined Jack Campbell’s Contract Aspirations

Micah Parsons (Photo Via Imagn Images)

The Detroit Lions opted against picking Jack Campbell’s fifth-year option, which could have made him about $22 million in 2027. Instead, they will try to agree on a long-term contract extension.

“Have learned the Lions are picking up the 5th-year option on RB Jahmyr Gibbs,” Dan Miller of FOX Detroit reported on X Tuesday. “They will not be picking up the 5th-year option on LB Jack Campbell. [With] that number near $22 million, they will look to work out a longterm deal that makes sense for both sides.”

Have learned the @Lions are picking up the 5th year option on RB Jahmyr Gibbs. They will not be picking up the 5th year option on LB Jack Campbell. W/ that number near 22 million, they will look to work out a long term deal that makes sense for both sides.
— Dan Miller (@DanMillerFox2) April 28, 2026

Former Pro Football Focus Analyst Sam Monson wrote on Tuesday that Micah Parsons indirectly having a say in this situation was crazy.

“Micah Parsons affecting Jack Campbell’s 5th-year option number is an unbelievably stupid and broken system,” Monson wrote. “I can’t believe actual things are still being screwed up by the ‘outside linebacker’ designation.”

Micah Parsons affecting Jack Campbell's 5th-year option number is an unbelievably stupid and broken system.

I can't believe actual things are still being screwed up by the 'outside linebacker' designation. https://t.co/vDyeqPm88I
— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) April 29, 2026

If the Lions work on an extension for another season via the fifth-year option, they could lock certain players from their 2023 class. However, going that path would create an inequitable pay scale for the position. Off-ball linebackers don’t make $22 million annually, and if they pay that to Campbell, it would reset the market.

The NFL must update its positional classification, as the current system appears obsolete.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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