Cowboys trading Micah Parsons 'never been uttered'

If there has been any confusion about Micah Parsons' future with the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones clarified things Tuesday while speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.

Trading Parsons has been more media speculation than reality, according to Jones.

"That's never been uttered in this organization that we don't have a future with Micah Parsons," Jones told the team's flagship network.

In an NFL.com story Sunday, executive vice president Stephen Jones said the Cowboys would have to examine the wisdom of having such a top-heavy roster when it comes to the high-priced salaries after paying Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb this year.

"Obviously we're totally all-in on Dak and CeeDee," Stephen Jones told NFL.com, "but after that, then you still shape things, including Micah. But Micah's a great player. You don't do well in this league letting guys like Micah, usually, leave the house."

After Sunday's win against the Carolina Panthers, Parsons was asked about the Cowboys' willingness to potentially trading him, which was not an accurate portrayal of the NFL.com story.

"I understand how that business side goes. Listen, no hard feeling in this business," Parsons said. "I'm here and I ain't anywhere else. Obviously, I've stated how I wanted to be here. But at the end of the day, I understand the business side. And I put in a lot of work. I play too hard so obviously if the sides can't agree to those type of things, it happens like that. But I'm just happy to be here and I'm just going to keep fighting hard while I'm here. And if I'm here for the next five or six years, I'm going to keep playing hard then too. Ain't really nothing going to make a difference, Micah's going to play hard."

Parsons is signed through 2025. The Cowboys exercised his fifth-year option on his rookie deal worth a little more than $21 million for next season but could look to sign him to a long-term extension this offseason. While he could become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, the Cowboys could also place the franchise tag on him for up to three seasons.

Speaking to ESPN before the Cowboys' "Monday Night Football" matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 9, Parsons did not say it was a must to become the NFL's highest-paid defensive player. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa holds that designation at $34 million per season.

"I feel like you see a lot of times 'highest paid,' then we say they don't have weapons, or they don't have this," Parsons said. "So, I would rather just be in the best situation, you know? At that point, I don't think there's a big difference between $30 million and $40 million in my eyes, you know? And that's just me talking."

Parsons said on his podcast Monday that he expects the Cowboys to be active in free agency. Defensive teammates, like Osa Odighizuwa, Chauncey Golston, DeMarcus Lawrence and Jourdan Lewis, are set to be free agents when the season ends, and Parsons would like to see the team keep as many as possible.

Parsons reiterated his point that he wants to spend his entire career with the Cowboys.

"But man, at the end of the day whatever it takes for me just to continue to be a Cowboy until I retire, that's what I want," Parsons told ESPN. "And I know it's going to be hard conversations and reality checks, but I think I'm a good enough caliber to be here."