the Dallas Cowboys have chosen to retain their star player Micah Parsons, exercising the fifth-year option on his contract.
The catch, however, lies in the Cowboys redefining Parsons’ position.
Report: Cowboys placing fifth-year option on Micah Parsons as a DE. https://t.co/LMglbq6UyM
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 6, 2024
Parsons, traditionally listed as a linebacker, is now officially moved to the defensive end position by the Cowboys.
This move comes in the wake of Parsons exhibiting a stellar record at the defensive end in the past two seasons.
Pro Football Focus reports that Parsons impressively played 87.8 percent of his snaps at defensive end just last season.
The fifth-year option markedly brings a financial implication. As a linebacker, Parsons was slated to bring home a whopping $24 million in 2025.
With the new designation as a defensive end, his salary will now be reduced to $21.32 million, according to reports by Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.
The switch in Parsons’ position could potentially trigger a grievance from his agent, David Mulugheta. However, it is yet doubtful whether Parsons will take the field on the fifth-year option.
Both sides are highly ambitious about securing a long-term extension within the next year. If successful, this could potentially make Parsons the first-ever football player in NFL history to bag the title of the highest-paid defensive player.
Considering an unfortunate scenario where the long-term contract does not come through, Parsons could choose to sit out until it does.
The scenario isn’t unheard of, as witnessed in David Mulugheta’s another client, Derwin James, back in 2022.
Despite being on the fifth-year option, James very wisely held out of training camp for three weeks till he successfully signed an extension.
