The Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons are currently in a stalemate on a new contract, and Colin Cowherd believes the T.J. Watt extension could complicate these talks. After threatening to hold out, the Steelers and Watt eventually agreed to a massive $123 million extension, making his the highest-paid non-quarterback in football on a per-year basis.
This is bad news for the Cowboys, as Colin Cowherd believes the team has no choice but to basically match the Watt contract when they eventually pay Micah Parsons. In a recent segment, the NFL analyst said that he doesn’t think Parsons is worth that type of money, but the Cowboys overall lack of depth gives them no choice but to spend up on their homegrown talent.
”If you look at the last two years of T.J. Watt’s production, he’s better, but it’s kind of close,” Cowherd says. “If I were Micah Parsons, I’d want 85 percent…do I think Micah Parsons is worth that? No I don’t. But Dallas is trapped.”
Can the Cowboys afford to pay top dollar for Micah Parsons? @colincowherd pic.twitter.com/bfKnTXT1Yd
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) July 18, 2025
Colin Cowherd Says Cowboys Are “Trapped” In Micah Parsons Contract Talks
Cowherd thinks the Micah Parsons contract will come in under Watt’s deal, but he could actually exceed it. While Watt is the better player, Parsons is an elite talent, and players like him generally reset the market when they sign extensions.
Additionally, there is a strong case to be made that Parsons has the brighter future. Watt is 30 years old and, while he’s still great, is much closer to the end of his career than the 26-year-old Micah Parsons. Dallas may not want to pay Parsons top dollar after spending big on Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, but as Cowherd points out, they don’t have much of a choice.
Main Photo: Kevin Jairaj – Imagn Images
