Dallas Cowboys pick up fifth-year extension on Micah Parsons, with a twist

The Dallas Cowboys made a somewhat savvy move with Micah Parsons and his contract.

While some may be focusing on former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and his upcoming free agency, the Dallas Cowboys made some news this week by picking up the extension for a fifth-year on former Penn State linebacker [autotag]Micah Parsons[/autotag]. Securing Parsons, easily one of the best defensive players in the NFL, was a bit of a no-brainer, but the Cowboys managed to do so in a unique way.

Officially speaking, Parsons has been a linebacker since being drafted in the first round by the Cowboys in 2021. But Parsons has been lining up more frequently on the defensive line for the Cowboys recently, and the fifth-year option will designate him as a defensive end according to a report from The Dallas Morning News.

Interestingly enough, this classification for Parsons’ position will lead to the Pro Bowl defensive star making less than he would have at the linebacker position in 2025. According to the Dallas Morning News report, Parsons will make a reported $21.32 million in 2025 as a defensive end instead of $24 million at the linebacker position.

This is clearly a move that benefits the Cowboys front office and allows a little more flexibility with the salary cap to build the roster moving forward.

As for the position classification, that choice is influenced by the on-field usage of a particular player. With Parsons being used more on the line than at the traditional linebacker spot, the fifth-year option and position designation by the Cowboys makes sense.

The Cowboys were able to tack on the fifth-year option for Parsons now that he has played three seasons (NFL teams may do that with first-round draft picks). That keeps Parsons in a Cowboys uniform for two more seasons on his five-year contract before Parsons will be eligible to be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.