Cowboys' Jerry Jones seems poised for long standoff with Micah Parsons

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones isn't in a rush to extend EDGE Micah Parsons. 

Parsons, set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, has requested a trade. Jones' latest comment suggests they won't reach an agreement soon. 

"It took a long time with Emmitt Smith," Jones told USA Today's Jarrett Bell in a story published Monday. "Same thing with [Zack] Martin two years ago. [Wide receiver CeeDee] Lamb last year. When you have the ability for players under contract to basically renegotiate or say, 'I'm not going to play the contract,' then you have those things happen." 

Cowboys fans better hope Parsons' standoff doesn't last as long as Smith's did. The Hall of Fame running back held out for a deal in 1993. The Cowboys started the season 0-2 before making Smith the highest-paid player at his position at that time.

The 26-year-old pass-rusher hasn't said whether he'll hold out of regular-season games. If he does, the Cowboys defense would likely falter without Parsons.

Since 2021, the Cowboys rank first in the NFL in expected points added per play (0.08) when the EDGE plays (via CBS Sports' Garrett Podell). When he doesn't, they're last in this category (-0.04).

"Without [Parsons] in the room, the D-line is not complete," Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa told Podell in June.

Paying the four-time Pro Bowler seems like a no-brainer for the Cowboys. Jones, however, noted quarterback Dak Prescott and Lamb played out the last years of their rookie contracts. He hinted Parsons should consider doing the same, despite his impact on the Cowboys defense. 

The Cowboys' first preseason game is scheduled for Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams at 7 p.m. ET. Don't expect Parsons to have a new deal by that date. Dallas seems to be making negotiations more complicated than they should be.