OXNARD, Calif. – As the Cowboys took the field for their first training camp practice on Tuesday, Micah Parsons joined his teammates on the field, but wasn't a participant in much of the activities on the playing field and didn't do any team drills.
After the conclusion of practice, Parsons held court with reporters to discuss his contract situation as he continues to seek an extension, which doesn't seem imminent.
"There's not really much movement man," Parsons said. "I want to be here, I've always stated I want to be here, but you know, at the end of the day, they sign the checks like always, and let's see if they want me to be here at the end of the day."
Does he feel like the Cowboys want to get a deal done with him?
"For me, it really doesn't matter," Parsons said. "I've been pretty consistent, if they don't want me here, they don't want me here. I'll go on about my business, I understand the nature of the business, as long as I'm here and under contract, I'm gonna do what I have to do to perform at the highest level. But if this is the end, this is the end."
The "they" he mentioned refers to the Cowboys front office, who spoke about Parsons yesterday including owner/GM Jerry Jones reiterating that he's not in any hurry to get a deal done with Parsons. While some took Jones' comments as shots, Parsons wasn't hurt by them, and instead just wants to get on the same page.
"I wouldn't say they were hurtful, I would just say that we are going to take care of each other," Parsons said. "I think overall, I want to take care of him in the same way I want to go out there and play for Jerry Jones, I feel like that's how we should look at each other, we're all here, there is no difference between us."
Both Jones and Parsons have been effusive in their praise for one another in the past, and Jones was so again yesterday when saying that Parsons was one of the wiser players he's ever negotiated with.
That said, Parsons wants to be taken care of like some of the other top players at his position across the league and is discouraged at how long the process is taking up to this point.
"Honestly, yeah," Parsons said when asked if he was discouraged by contract talks taking this long. "When you go around the league and you see these other teams taking care of their best guys, I see TJ [Watt] got taken care of, Maxx [Crosby] got taken care of, Myles [Garrett] got taken care of and he's got two years left on his deal, you see a lot of people around the league taking care of you, you wish you had that same type of energy."
Previously, Parsons has spoken about how each contract situation for pass rushers is different, but the one common goal that he wants to see between them is a sense of urgency to get things done together.
"Everyone's got a different story, there's some teams where guys like Maxx [Crosby] where he's like 'Man, they knew I was coming up and they just wanted to take care of [me],' I just say 'Must be nice." Parsons said.
Does he take the fact that it's taking this long to get a deal worked out personally?
"I wouldn't say it's hard not to take it personally when you know there's a chain of events of something consistently happening over the course of years," Parsons said. "When you kind of see it before through other players and things."
"You don't take it personally when it's 'Alright, it's not like I'm getting treated differently than anyone else.' So, I don't take it personally, I just don't understand."
One part of the negotiation between both sides has been communication between the Cowboys' front office representatives and Parsons' agent, David Mulugheta. While the Cowboys brass said on Monday that they've spoken with people in Parsons' circle and have a good past with Mulugheta, Parsons added that the team reaching out is something that he wants to see as well.
"My agent's been reaching out, at one point, another grown man has to be willing to reach out himself, you know what I mean?" Parsons said. "Communication works both ways, we've reached out, so that needs to happen too. They got to want to do it on their part."
Speaking of things both sides want to see, Jerry Jones talked about leadership being one of the things he looks for from players seeking long-term, big money extensions on Monday. Parsons hasn't shown up to training camp to use that as a calling card to push a deal to get done, and is instead wanting to be around his new coaching staff and help his younger teammates.
"Nah, I think they've got their own timeline or when they want to get things done, at any given time they can get things done, so I don't think that helps…" Parsons said.
"I'm doing this for myself and my teammates, this isn't for Jerry, this isn't for Stephen, this is for guys like Tre[von Diggs], this is to help guys like Donovan [Ezeiruaku], Sam [Williams], guys who I know I can get better just by being here and being there for them."
Participating on the field is something that Parsons wants to eventually do, but he stated he's dealing with some back soreness and wants his body to operate the way it needs to before going out there. He's not worried about the risks that come with going onto the field while having being in the middle of contract negotiations.
"If that's the case, I wouldn't be here right now," Parsons said. "I care about my teammates, they need to see me out here putting in the work, not at home, I did that for the last four or five months… whatever I need to do to make sure I'm at 100% so that way week one I can play."
Even with uncertainty and a lack of a finish line in sight, Parsons isn't getting frustrated at this point in the process.
"No, I'm not," Parsons said when asked if he was growing frustrated. "I've been pretty successful over my last course of these last couple years, so you know, I'm just going to let God do His work."
Why is that? Because at some point, Parsons is confident he'll be the highest paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
"I feel like I'm the best at what I do, you can argue with whoever but stats, numbers don't lie, the consistency is there and the availability is there." Parsons said.
In the past, a lot of players in contract situations like Parsons' have held out of practice and camp entirely. That's not going to be likely in Parsons' case, but he's not ruling out completely.
"Nothing could hold me back from football," Parsons said. "This is genuinely what I love to do, and if anyone questions that, they probably have never been around me. I take everything I do very seriously. So holding out completely, I don't think so… it is what it is if it ever gets to that point."
