Micah Parsons hopes to have new Cowboys deal before start of free agency - ESPN

FRISCO, Texas — If Micah Parsons has his way, a long-term contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys would be worked out before free agency begins in March.

«I'm going to try and work with them as much as possible to help them attack free agency,» Parsons said Thursday. «I want to be back with this team. This offseason, I want to be here. I want to get these guys right. I want to take big steps, so hopefully it can be done sooner than later so we can attack the offseason.»

Parsons is set to make $21.4 million in 2025 on the fifth-year option the Cowboys exercised on his rookie deal last spring. But the star edge rusher is looking at a massive extension that would make him among the highest-paid players in the NFL.

Parsons reiterated a point he made to ESPN two weeks ago that he does not need to be the highest-paid defensive player in the league, which is currently San Francisco defensive end Nick Bosa at $34 million per year.

«I think I'm the best player in the world. I don't throw numbers out there like that,» Parsons said. «I'll see what they're willing to give me.»

«It would be nice to be surrounded by good players,» he continued. «Players that will help me win championships, I'll say that. To me, having $40 million and being chipped every play and slid into three, four people, that doesn't sound too fun to me.

»So to me, it's about keeping people that can make a difference, and obviously we're going to get Sam [Williams] back, some players back. We'll see how it breaks down, but I want to keep as many guys as possible. They will make the cap work, I don't know."

CeeDee Lamb missed the organized team activities and minicamp last offseason and most of training camp before signing a four-year, $136 million deal in