Considerable time has taken place since Micah Parsonsand Cowboys owner Jerry Jonesagreed in principle on an extension. The edge rush market could very well see further movement before an agreement is finalized in this case, something which would increase the cost of a monster second contract.
In April, it was reported Dallas was prepared to make Parsons the league’s highest earner for non-quarterbacks. During his most recent comments on the matter – an interview with DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. – the two-time All-Pro confirmed his target is to become the highest-paid player outside the QB spot. In terms of AAV, that title currently belongs to Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase($40.25MM per year).
Myles Garrett leads the way in terms of pass rushers. His new Browns pact averages $40MM annually, a bar which could be cleared in the event T.J. Wattsecures another Steelers extension. The latter has an offer on the table, the particulars of which are not publicly known. Interestingly, Parsons said in his interview he is aware of Watt’s asking price and noted it is higher than the deal he and Jones previously agreed to.
In the event Watt – who skipped minicamp this week and does not appear to be signing a deal in the immediate future – does ink a third Pittsburgh pact before Parsons, that will have a notable effect. The Cowboys finalizing a contract with the four time Pro Bowler would come at a higher cost if Watt does manage to surpass Garrett’s benchmark. To little surprise, Parsons expressed his surprise during the interview at the fact his extension has still not been finalized given the legwork which was done months ago.
The former Defensive Rookie of the Year has notched at least 12 sacks every year to date despite the fact he missed four games last season. Parsons will be counted on to remain highly productive in 2025, during which he is slated to receive $24.01MM on his fifth-year option. A long-term pact will cost much more, especially given the EDGE market’s upward movement since he first became eligible for an extension last offseason. The Penn State product has already made it clear his deal will be impacted by others signed this offseason.
Parsons originally stated his desire for an extension to be in place before free agency began in mid-March. With that time having come and gone, training camp represents the next target. During the interview, he said would be willing to attend camp even without a deal in hand and thus avoid daily fines. Parsons added, however, that he would not participate in camp in such a scenario (after he did take part in on-field work during minicamp).
The prospect of a hold-in will become a moot point if team and player can finalize an agreement over the coming weeks. Whether or not that takes place will continue to depend in part on other moves amongst some of the league’s top remaining extension-eligible players, though.
The Micah Parsonsextension situation remains one to watch regarding the Cowboys and their top defensive player. No deal is officially in place yet, but team and player have held extensive talks this offseason (albeit not recently).
That communication includes discussions which were reported in April by DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. At that point, it was reported the framework of an agreement was in place between Parsons and owner Jerry Jones with the final details left to be ironed out. While that report has been called into question, Jones has since confirmed that the parties spoke early in the spring and further corroboration has emerged regarding that initial arrangement.
Parsons confirmed to Hill today that while no firm agreement has been reached, he and Jones had a productive face-to-face encounter. The two-time All-Pro gave the longtime Dallas owner a price point for an extension, and Jones responded that it was “doable.” It is unclear what Parsons’ proposal was valued at, but Hill’s original report stated an offer was made which would make the 26-year-old the league’s top earner for edge rushers.
Crucially, communication with Parsons’ representation has proven to be sparse over the course of the offseason. Hill notes Jones has still yet to speak with agent David Mulugheta to finalize the extension which was agreed to (at least in principle) months ago. Jones drew criticism with his remarks in April that he was not concerned about Parsons’ agent and did not know his name.
In the time since early April, COO Stephen Jones has noted a gap remaining between team and player in negotiations (something which is certainly eyebrow-raising given the financial arrangement already agreed to during the summit between Parsons and Jerry Jones). Garrett currently leads the EDGE market at $40MM annually, and T.J. Watt(Steelers) and Trey Hendrickson(Bengals) are among the veterans who could land a deal at least near that mark later this offseason.
Parsons is joined by former Lions No. 2 pick Aidan Hutchinsonas a prominent pass rusher eligible for a second – rather than third – contract. His age (26) could lead to a more lucrative deal than Garrett’s, something which would of course have notable cap implications given last year’s Cowboys commitments to quarterback Dak Prescottand receiver CeeDee Lamb. Parsons was absent from voluntary practices this spring, but in an encouraging sign from a contract standpoint he did not join the likes of Watt and Hendrickson by skipping mandatory minicamp.
At times, players angling for an extension have adopted a hold-in stance by attending mandatory practices without taking the field. Parsons is participating in drills, however, as noted by The Athletic’s Jon Machota. It will be interesting to see that decision is followed by a new round of talks with the front office or if the wait will continue for a deal to be finalized.
In his second year with the team, Fatukasi has taken a discount to remain a Texan. In 2025, he’ll play on a reduced one-year, $3MM contract, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Wilson adds that the deal includes $1.5MM in guarantees comprised of a $1MM signing bonus and $500K of his base salary (worth $1.5MM in 2025). Fatukaski will represent a $2.82MM hit to Houston’s salary cap. He’ll also have the opportunity to earn an additional $500K over the course of the deal with $29,411 per game active roster bonuses.
Here are a few other interesting contract notes from around the AFC:
For the second straight offseason, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been absent from team activities in Baltimore. Mike Florio of NBC Sports notes that the absence will reduce Jackson’s 2025 compensation $750K from $43.5MM to $42.75MM. The reduction is a result of Jackson not fulfilling a clause to participate in 27 of 32 team workouts. Obviously, over the course of a five-year, $260MM deal, one would hardly notice a $1.5MM drop over two years, but he may not be without it for long. As rumors begin to form focusing on a new extension to keep Jackson in line with the constantly inflating market, the $1.5MM bonuses would be an easy throw-in somewhere within the likely $60+MM per year deal.
Jackson isn’t alone losing out on money this offseason. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs and Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs each decided to surrender their bonuses in order to work out together in Miami this summer, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. Dallas will avoid paying Diggs $500K due to the absence. Volin posits that New England likely didn’t expect to see Diggs in workouts this summer, noting that, if they had wanted to see him there, they could have offered him more than the $200K he’s now missing out on. Following a bit of controversy in Miami, he’s now present in New England and should be at mandatory minicamp this week.
The 2025 offseason has seen a number of high-profile receivers change teams via free agency. The likes of Davante Adams, Cooper Kuppand DeAndre Hopkinshave undertaken a change of scenery so far. The same will also soon be true of Keenan Allenand Amari Cooper.
This spring has also provided notable moves at the position via trade, however. A total of four swaps including wideouts have taken place in 2025; in three of those cases, the player included in the deal changed teams for the first time in their career. For all squads involved, the outcome of the trades will be key in determining their success this season and beyond.
March began with the 49ers sending Deebo Samuelto the Commanders. That deal – which yielded a fifth-round pick in return – came when team and player mutually agreed a parting ways was in order. Samuel had previously requested a trade, but his 2022 extension allowed him to remain in San Francisco. The 29-year-old has been unable to duplicate the production from his All-Pro campaign in 2021 when he showcased his receiving and rushing abilities.
Between a downturn in output and the massive extension which was (eventually) worked out with Brandon Aiyuklast offseason, many expected 2024 would be Samuel’s final year in the Bay Area. Shortly after the season ended, it became clear the Commanders were among the teams pursuing the former Pro Bowler. For at least one year (since he is a pending 2026 free agent), Samuel will offer the Commanders a veteran secondary WR option to complement perennial 1,000-yard performer Terry McLaurin.
Samuel saw his base salary for this year guaranteed via a restructure upon arrival in Washington. $3MM in incentives are present as well, adding to his earning potential on a Commanders team looking to replicate its surprising offensive success from 2024. The 49ers, meanwhile, will move forward with Aiyuk. Jauan Jenningsand a number of younger options capable of handling at least a depth receiver role.
Christian Kirkinitially appeared to be a cap casualty for the Jaguars this offseason. Instead of cutting the former Cardinal, however, the team’s new regime traded him inside the division to the Texans. A seventh-round pick in next year’s draft prevented Houston from having to win a bidding war for his services. Just like Samuel, Kirk restructured his contract shortly after being acquired.
The 28-year-old is also a pending free agent, so he too could prove to be a rental. Nico Collinswill remain WR1 for the Texans in 2025, but the loss of Stefon Diggsand the likelihood of Tank Dellmissing considerable time while recovering from multiple knee surgeries will give Kirk a notable role on his new team. Mentioned as a Steelers trade deadline target last fall, the former second-rounder saw his production decline over each of his three Jaguars seasons. Kirk should nevertheless be able to operate as a useful deep threat as the Texans transition to new offensive coordinator Nick Caley.
The skill positions have undergone many changes in Jacksonville this offseason. Kirk’s trade was accompanied by the decision to cut wideout/returner Devin Duvernay, along withGabe Davis. With Pro Bowl tight end Evan Engramalso no longer in the picture, first-year head coach Liam Coen will have a number of new pass catchers in place for 2025. The success of that new group will be a key talking point.
Even before March, D.K. Metcalf’s Seahawks future was uncertain. A desire to land a second extension (putting him near the top of the position’s market) paved the way for a trade request. General manager John Schneiderlater said finances were not at the heart of the decision to pull off a trade, noting the two-time Pro Bowler’s strong desire to move on. Seattle’s asking price originally included a first-round pick, but that was soon lowered.
In the end, a second-round selection (in addition to a swap of Day 3 selections) proved to be sufficient for the Steelers to acquire Metcalf. The trade was immediately followed by a four-year, $132MM extension agreement. As a result of that pact, Metcalf, 27, met his known goal of joining the list of receivers earning at least $30MM per season on average. His AAV of $33MM ranks fourth at the position.
As Seattle moves forward with a receiver group centered on Kupp (who was added on a homecoming deal following his Rams release) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Pittsburgh will rely heavily on Metcalf for 2025 and beyond. Questions loom about Pittsburgh’s 2025 quarterback starter and his upside, but expectations will be high for in Metcalf’s case as a player who has posted no fewer than 900 yards in each of his six NFL seasons.
At first, the Metcalf addition seemed to put the Steelers in place to pair him with George Pickensfor at least one campaign. The latter found himself on the move one month ago, however. Pickens was dealt to the Cowboys in exchange for a third-round pick in next year’s draft (with late-round selections in the 2027 event being exchanged as well).
Pickens – who did not request to be moved – has one year remaining on his rookie contract. The 24-year-old is not aiming to sign a Cowboys extension at this point, so much will depend on his performance with his new team. Of course, this situation will also contain plenty of scrutiny in terms of maturity and locker room fit in Dallas. Issues on those fronts led to an ambivalence among many Steelers with respect to Pickens’ departure.
The Cowboys did not draft a first-round receiver as many thought they would, but adding Pickens will provide the team with a high-potential CeeDee Lambcounterpart. A strong showing from that tandem will help Pickens’ market value on a re-signing or a long-term arrangement with a third team. For Pittsburgh, meanwhile, Metcalf’s supporting cast faces questions (although another pass-catching addition is being explored). The Steelers’ decision to make one lucrative investment at any given time in a receiver is common enough, but the impact of replacing Pickens with Metcalf will be felt in 2025 as well as future years.
Keeping in mind the prices paid in these trades and the other receiver-related moves made by the teams who parted ways with those involved in the swaps, which do you think will work out the best? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section below.
DeMarvion Overshownmissed his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear. He managed to return to the Cowboys’ lineup in time for the start of last season, handling a starting role when on the field.
A productive campaign came to a premature end in December, however. The former third-round linebacker suffered another ACL tear with the same damage also being done to his MCL and PCL. As a result, Overshown is once again in the midst of a lengthy recovery process. Encouragingly, he is ahead of schedule at this point.
“It really couldn’t be any better,” Overshown said when speaking about his health status (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “Where I’m at in my rehab and my process is where I’m supposed to be plus some… There’s no need to rush the process. I’m gonna come back when I’m 100 percent. When I’m ready, when I know I can touch the field and not look down and worry about my knee.”
The 24-year-old posted 90 tackles, five sacks and four pass deflections last season. A return to that level of production would be welcomed on a Cowboys defense in need of improvement in 2025. A firm timeline is not in place for a return to action, and it would come as no surprise if Overshown began the campaign on the PUP list. November was mentioned last month as a possible point at which he could suit up, but since the Texas product is ahead of schedule he may manage to do so slightly earlier.
In other Cowboys injury news, Sam Williamshas recently reached a key milestone in his own rehab process stemming from a major knee injury. The former second-round defensive end missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and suffering a partial MCL tear during training camp. The 26-year-old recently took part in individual drills for the first time this offseason, though, as noted by the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins.
That news comes as little surprise, since owner Jerry Jones said one month ago Williams had nearly healed in full. Still, having the latter back in the fold will be key for a pass rush group which lost DeMarcus Lawrencein free agency. Williams has yet to start a game in the NFL, but he could be in line for a spike in usage as a complement to Micah Parsonsalong the edge. A strong showing would be key since Williams is a pending 2026 free agent.
Dallas ranked 31st in the NFL in points allowed last season. Better health from the likes of Overshown and Williams will help the team’s efforts to improve in that respect, and both should be available for at least most of the coming campaign.
Micah Parsonshas been absent for parts of OTAs this year as he continues to await a Cowboys extension. A holdout during upcoming minicamp would represent an escalation in this situation, but that will not take place.
Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said he was unsure if Parsons planned to attend the mandatory practices when speaking to the media (via All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr.). He added there is nothing new with respect to the status of extension talks. There is still work to be done on that front, and Parsons and owner Jerry Jones have not been in direct contact for weeks.
The All-Pro edge rusher took to social media to confirm he will indeed be present for minicamp. Choosing to be absent would have made Parsons open to fines, but he will attend (something he also did last offseason, the first in which he was eligible for an extension). Players often hold in for minicamp and/or training camp by electing not to take part in on-field work until an extension is worked out. It will be interesting to see if that takes place in this case.
A flight delay prevented Parsons from arriving at OTAs earlier this week, as noted by Hill. Regardless of how the 26-year-old’s attendance and participation (or lack thereof) plays out, the matter of his second contract will of course remain a key storyline for the Cowboys. An April report indicated Parsons and Jerry Jones worked out the bulk of an extension agreement, but no deal has been signed yet. Until that changes, the four-time Pro Bowler will remain on track for free agency next spring.
Parsons is owed $24.01MM this season as a result of the Cowboys’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option. A long-term deal will of course cost much more, and the top of the edge rush market now sits at $40MM per season. Myles Garrettmoved the bar with his Browns extension, and T.J. Watt(Steelers) and Trey Hendrickson(Bengals) are expected to land lucrative new pacts soon. Parsons is notably younger than each member of that trio, however, something which could result in him becoming the league’s top earner amongst pass rushers by the start of the season.
Jones and the Cowboys have a well-earned reputation for taking longer than needed to work out extensions with their top players; the negotiation process for Dak Prescottand CeeDee Lamblast summer provided a pair of clear examples on that point. Parsons hopes to have his mega-deal in hand by training camp at the latest, and while it remains to be seen if that will be the case he will be present to take part in any potential negotiations during Dallas’ minicamp.
This week started with a point on the NFL calendar that has been important for decades. Although teams have not needed to wait until June to make their most expensive cuts in many years, they do not see the funds from post-June 1 designations until that point.
With June 1 coming and going, a fourth of the league has seen the savings from post-June 1 releases arrive. That has affected the NFL’s cap-space hierarchy. Here is how every team stands (via OverTheCap) following June 2 changes:
New England Patriots: $67.34MM
San Francisco 49ers: $53.49MM
Detroit Lions: $40.12MM
New York Jets: $39.8MM
Las Vegas Raiders: $36.16MM
Arizona Cardinals: $32.11MM
Dallas Cowboys: $32.11MM
Pittsburgh Steelers: $31.88MM
Seattle Seahawks: $31.21MM
Tennessee Titans: $30.16MM
Green Bay Packers: $28.94MM
Cincinnati Bengals: $27.08MM
Los Angeles Chargers: $26.83MM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $26.63MM
Jacksonville Jaguars: $26.54MM
Philadelphia Eagles: $25.79MM
New Orleans Saints: $22.62MM
Washington Commanders: $21.13MM
Indianapolis Colts: $20.09MM
Los Angeles Rams: $19.44MM
Baltimore Ravens: $18.95MM
Carolina Panthers: $18.69MM
Minnesota Vikings: $18.49MM
Cleveland Browns: $18.2MM
Houston Texans: $16.3MM
Denver Broncos: $16.23MM
Chicago Bears: $14.76MM
Miami Dolphins: $13.81MM
Kansas City Chiefs: $10.75MM
Atlanta Falcons: $5.02MM
New York Giants: $3.82MM
Buffalo Bills: $1.69MM
The Jets saw their situation change the most from post-June 1 designations, as $13.5MM became available to the team after itsAaron Rodgers and C.J. Mosleycuts. Teams have up to two post-June 1 designations at their disposals. Five clubs — the Jets, Browns, Ravens, Eagles and 49ers — used both slots. Only three other teams made a post-June 1 cut before that seminal date. The eight that made these moves will have dead money split between 2025 and 2026.
Baltimore used the cost-defraying option to release Marcus Williams and Justin Tucker, while Cleveland — in Year 4 of the regrettable Deshaun Watson partnership — used it to move on from Juan Thornhill and Dalvin Tomlinson. As the Eagles’ option bonus-heavy payroll included two hefty bonus numbers for Darius Slay and James Bradberry, the reigning Super Bowl champions released both 30-something cornerbacks. Together, Slay and Bradberry will count more than $20MM on Philadelphia’s 2026 cap sheet. As for this year, though, the Browns, Eagles, Ravens and 49ers respectively saved $9.85MM, $9.4MM, $6.3MM, $6.4MM and $5.6MM, according to Spotrac.
Derek Carr‘s retirement being processed Tuesday also changed the Saints’ funding. The team will spread the dead money ($50.13MM) across two years. Even with the number being reduced this year, the Saints will be hit with the second-highest single-player dead money hit (behind only the Broncos’ Russell Wilson separation) in NFL history as a result of the Carr exit. The Saints will only be responsible for $19.21MM of that total in 2025. As they did with Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox‘s retirements last year, the Eagles will also process Brandon Graham‘s hit this way.
The Cowboys’ cap crunch rendered them unable to re-sign backup QB Cooper Rush, who started eight games in 2024 in relief of an injured Dak Prescott and who signed a two-year deal worth up to $12.2MM with the Ravens in March. At the time, it was believed Dallas would select a signal-caller in April’s draft and have that player compete with Grier to serve as Prescott’s backup in 2025.
Instead, the Cowboys acquired Joe Milton in a pre-draft trade with the Patriots, who had made Milton a sixth-round choice in 2024. The former Tennessee standout flashed in New England’s regular season finale against the Bills, and he reportedly wanted to be dealt to a team that would allow him to compete for a starting gig.
Obviously, the Cowboys’ starting quarterback position is already spoken for, but given Milton’s youth (he just turned 25 in March) and apparent upside, he would seemingly be the frontrunner for the QB2 post in 2025 (as our Ben Levine recently suggested). However, Watkins says that is not necessarily set in stone, and he indicates it is still unclear whether Milton or Grier will be tapped as Rush’s replacement.
Despite his lack of playing time, Grier has shown enough to stick on NFL rosters or practice squads since he entered the league as a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2019. That includes a two-year run with the Cowboys as a backup/third-stringer/practice squad player from 2021-22. Dallas cut him after acquiring Trey Lance via trade in August 2023, and he ultimately split the 2023 campaign between the Bengals, Patriots, and Chargers.
He reunited with former Cowboys OC Kellen Moore by signing a one-year contract with the Eagles in March 2024, but he did not crack Philadelphia’s 53-man roster. He was retained via a taxi squad deal before a November release, and he reunited with the Cowboys shortly thereafter. He then re-signed with Dallas on a one-year pact shortly after the 2024 season ended.
Now 30, Grier’s chances of becoming a regular starter in the NFL are quite slim. Milton, on the other hand, is entering the second year of his rookie contract and could still forge a path as a QB1 somewhere. Although they did not surrender much to acquire him, the Cowboys clearly saw enough in Milton to swing a trade for him. He will nonetheless have to earn backup duties.
One way or another, it seems both players will join Prescott in Dallas’ 2025 quarterbacks room.
The Cowboys are dealing with a number of injuries at the cornerback position and, as a result, they have one of their best cornerbacks working outside of his usual position. Last week, Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reported that All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland had been working out as a slot cornerback at Organized Team Activities.
The team’s other usual starting corner, Trevon Diggs, is currently dealing with an injury and doesn’t have a clear timeline for his return, but it’s assumed at the moment that he will not be back for the start of training camp and may not be ready when the regular season rolls around. Additionally, third-round rookie Shavon Revel fell as far as he did, despite potential first-round talent, because of a torn ACL that forced him to miss most of his final season at East Carolina. While Revel could make his way back by camp, he’s not been available so far this summer.
These absences are not helpful at a time when the team is looking to fill a nickelback role that it had perfectly squared away in 2024. Last year, Jourdan Lewis played 606 snaps in the slot, and the next closest player didn’t even reach 100 snaps. Lewis, though, departed for Jacksonville in free agency, so now Dallas will need to find someone to replace him.
After Lewis, the next six players with the most slot snaps in 2024 were safeties and linebackers. Diggs was the next closest corner, and he only saw 28 snaps at nickel; Bland was the next cornerback with 16. Two of those safeties were starters Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker, so they’re not really options to take the role, but the third safety was backup Israel Mukuamu, who could be also an option to step up there in 2025. Watkins noted that another backup safety, Juanyeh Thomas, saw some work in the slot during OTAs, as well.
Bland prefers to play at outside cornerback, and there’s two good reasons why. The first, and most obvious, is that he’s played extremely well there. In his first two seasons, Bland reeled in 14 interceptions, returning five for touchdowns in 2023 alone. Last year didn’t see the same returns as he came back from a foot surgery that caused him to miss 10 games, but he still saw five passes defensed and graded out favorably, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), in comparison to his teammates.
The second reason is that he’s heading into the final year of his rookie deal. Especially after the injury-limited season he delivered last year, Bland is going to want to make the most of his 2025 campaign, and he’ll want to do so at the more lucrative position as a boundary cornerback, a position at which he’s shown extreme aptitude. Per Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS, new head coach Brian Schottenheimerunderstands where Bland’s coming from but told the media that “it is still early” and that “they don’t have all their guys out there” at the moment, so versatility is necessary.
Watkins claims that the ‘Boys have two problems to solve this summer: “another starter opposite Bland and slot corner.” One option that the team has seemingly ruled out is Dolphins trading chip Jalen Ramsey. Per Hill, a source with the team claimed that “there is nothing to the” rumors that Ramsey could be traded to Dallas.
All eyes have been on Parsons’ ongoing contract negotiations this offseason. Extensions for Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby have turned up the pressure on Dallas to get a deal done. Parsons has said that he wants to finalize an agreement before training camp so he can “hit the ground running,” but he is prepared to stage a hold-in if that doesn’t happen.
The Cowboys last set of OTAs is scheduled for the first week of June, followed by mandatory minicamp the week after. The team will then break until training camp starts in July, which should give the two sides plenty of time to reach an agreement that will likely make Parsons the NFL’s highest-paid defender (and perhaps the highest-paid non-quarterback).
At this point, it’s unclear what gap remains in negotiations. Parsons has repeatedly proven himself to be one of the best defenders in the league and the market at his position has been clearly defined this offseason. One report in April indicated that the two sides had agreed on the framework of an extension, but the Cowboys’ lack of communication with Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, could be holding up a finalized agreement on the contract’s exact structure and guarantees.
