Jerry Jones Sent Clear Contract Message From ‘Worried’ RB As Micah Parsons May Skip Field Work in Voluntary Workout

The Dallas Cowboys’ offseason feels like a scene from The Godfather—everyone’s got an angle, but nobody’s talking. Picture Jerry Jones sipping sweet tea at The Star, staring at a whiteboard littered with dollar signs and defensive schemes. Across Texas, fans swap theories like baseball cards: Who gets paid first? Who’s the next domino? The air’s thick with tension, thicker than a Texas chili. Meanwhile, two stars—Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland—hover like storm clouds. One’s a lightning rod for headlines; the other’s a quiet force waiting to strike.

This isn’t just about money. It’s about legacy. The Cowboys haven’t sniffed a Super Bowl since ’95, back when Troy Aikman’s crew ruled the NFC like kings. Now, with Micah Parsons anchoring the defense and Bland rewriting record books, Dallas has its best shot in decades. But contracts are landmines. One misstep, and the whole thing blows. But cornerback DaRon Bland isn’t sweating his contract—at least not publicly.

“No talks, I’m worried about the season. I’ll play my heart out,” he told reporters, shrugging off extension chatter. “I’ll do my best out there and do whatever I can.” Bland’s rookie deal ends in 2025, yet the Cowboys haven’t slid a pen his way. That’s risky. In 2023, Bland snatched five pick-sixes—an NFL record—and cemented himself as a playmaker. But unlike Micah Parsons, whose $200M megadeal looms, Bland’s value is trickier to pin. Is he a shutdown corner? A gambler? A hybrid?

The CB market exploded this offseason. Houston’s Derek Stingley Jr. bagged $30M annually, while Sauce Gardner eyes even richer terms. Bland’s camp knows this. Spotrac pegs his value at $23.7M/year, but Jerry’s playing hardball. Why? Trevon Diggs’s $97M deal complicates things. Diggs’ injury history (two torn ACLs since 2022) gives Dallas an out, but Bland’s durability and production demand attention.

Cowboys CB DaRon Bland hasn’t entered contract negotiations with the team entering the final year of his rookie deal. He’s content playing on the final season.

“No talks, I’m worried about the season. I’ll play my heart out. I’ll do my best out there and do whatever I can.” pic.twitter.com/DTsGdF9h1N

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) April 23, 2025

Letting him walk could haunt the Cowboys like the ’94 NFC Championship collapse. Jerry Jones loves a gamble—remember the Herschel Walker trade?—but this isn’t 1989. Bland and Parsons aren’t pawns; they’re franchise pillars. Letting Bland test free agency invites disaster. Imagine him in Eagles green, haunting Dallas twice a year. And Parsons? Without him, the defense crumbles like a stale biscuit. But Micah Parsons is rewriting the rules.

Micah Parsons’ high-stakes holdout: pay now or pray later

The 25-year-old pass rusher showed up for voluntary workouts, but only to study new DC Matt Eberflus’ playbook. On-field work? “Maybe so much I might not be on the field part of it, but I’ll be there learning it, so that way, at the least, I’ll be ready for Week 1,” Parsons hinted, adding, “It’s extremely important [to get a deal done by camp].” So, no contract, no reps. Jerry wants Parsons to ‘elevate leadership,’ but the All-Pro’s leverage is nuclear. With 52.5 sacks in four seasons, he’s eyeing Myles Garrett’s $40M/year benchmark—and then some. And Parsons isn’t bluffing at all.

He watched CeeDee Lamb’s August extension saga and Dak Prescott’s last-minute deal. “I want to hit the ground running,” he said, refusing to risk a “slow start.” The Cowboys’ brass claims progress, but Stephen Jones admitted, “There’s a difference in what we feel is the right number.” So, this could get uglier than a Cowboys-Eagles sideline brawl. Yet Jerry’s playing chicken.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 29: Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Micah Parsons 11 looks on before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles on December 29, 2024 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA DEC 29 Cowboys at Eagles EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon24122965

He’s betting on time, hoping market forces bend his way. But you don’t win titles by nickel-and-diming your stars. And history agrees. Emmitt Smith’s 1993 holdout nearly derailed a dynasty. And today’s stakes are higher. Besides, the Cowboys’ 2024 season hinges on these negotiations.

Pay Parsons, and you secure a generational talent. Lock down Bland, and you solidify a shaky secondary. Stumble, and the “America’s Team” aura fades faster than a Texas sunset. As the great Texan philosopher Willie Nelson once sang, “The life I love is making music with my friends.” For Jerry Jones, the music is the clink of cash—and the roar of a satisfied fan base. But will he strike the right chord? Or will this offseason echo like another missed note in Dallas’ symphony of ‘almosts’?

 

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