What Is the Logic Behind How the Cowboys Resign Their Star Players?

Micah Parsons finally decided that he was fed up with the disrespect of the front office and took to Twitter, announcing his trade request from the Dallas Cowboys. In the long note he wrote to announce his request, Parsons said he was willing to take a contract earlier in his career and was all for taking less money to help the franchise, but the front office wouldn’t agree to start negotiations at that point. The way Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have approached resigning their star homegrown players has always been questioned, but the Cowboys remained firm with their decisions. Now, with arguably the best defensive player in the NFL facing his turn for a contract and dealing with what other players in the past have, is there any logic behind this method? 

The method the Cowboys use to try to re-sign their players has been ongoing since Jerry Jones bought the team. Notably, in 1993, during their back-to-back Super Bowl season, Emmitt Smith famously held out the first two games of the season, where the Cowboys would go on to lose both games, starting 0-2. Jones prefers to speak directly with the player rather than through the agent. A notable instance was when he and Bill Parcells famously locked Tony Romo in a room, presenting him with contract offers and pressuring him to sign. The Dallas Cowboys often opt to finalize contracts with their players at the last minute. Star athletes like Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Ceedee Lamb have frequently found themselves waiting an extra year or until just before the season begins to secure their contracts. Dallas believes in delaying contract signings to avoid the risk of injuries or unexpected declines in performance. This strategy has been evident in the past with players like Michael Gallup and Jaylon Smith, whom they signed early but ultimately did not meet expectations.

The logic behind some of the Cowboys' decisions appears inconsistent. They often contradict themselves. Recently, they extended rising tight end Jake Ferguson, who, despite his talent, still has much to prove and hasn’t played a down in his fourth season yet. Another example is their decision to re-sign Terence Steele, who came off a potentially career-declining injury. To Steele’s credit, he’s been working hard to return to his elite form, but he has struggled on the field so far. Recently, the Cowboys' approach of meeting with players before their agents has not been as effective. A prime example is Parsons, who verbally agreed to a contract back in March but did not take further action without his agent, David Mulageta. Prescott similarly would not agree to any negotiations without his agent, Todd France, both times he underwent contract negotiations last year and back in 2021. Jerry Jones and the front office have certainly hit on a lot of their resignations in the previous 25 years, but their methods will always be questioned by the NFL world. Parsons will likely resign despite his trade request, and the Cowboys will make him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history, but that does not mean the way they approached this negotiation and many more in the past hindered relationships between them and the players.