Every year in Oxnard, someone ends up playing contract chicken with the Jones family. One year, it’s Zack Martin. The next is CeeDee Lamb. Now, welcome to 2025’s installment: The Micah Watch. The cameras are rolling, fans are sweating, and Jerry Jones’ probably working out of the back of that air-conditioned bus again. Day two of the camp looked more like a reality TV reunion. Micah Parsons skipped drills for the second straight day, pacing the sideline and chatting with – of all people – CeeDee Lamb. The same Lamb who, just last year, wasn’t even in Oxnard during this stretch. A full-on holdout, no walkthroughs, no helmet in hand. Just vibes and contract limbo from a distance.
To be fair, Lamb sealed the deal. Four years, $136 million, $100M guaranteed. But behind the scenes, it wasn’t clean. JJ publicly downplayed urgency. CeeDee clapped back. By the time he returned, Lamb admitted that skipping camp threw off his rhythm. He said, “It was the worst ever. For me to miss out on the right preparation with my team… It was a unique situation. That was the first time I ever did that, and I’m praying it’s the last.” Now? His absence is being used as a cautionary tale by the very people who signed his checks.
And judging by what Stephen Jones just said? That drama still lingers. During a team sit-down with Nick Eatman, Stephen threw out what looked like a compliment to Parsons. It turned out to be a not-so-subtle shot at Lamb. When asked about Micah Parsons showing up despite no deal, he pivoted straight to a comparison, “We’ve had Zack Martin, we’ve had CeeDee Lamb you know, who weren’t here, and that makes it even more difficult. But we also have people, you know, like Dak, and now Micah, who are here,” Jones said. A few lines, but loud enough to echo through the locker room. Translation: We remember who showed up and who didn’t.
Dallas Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones spoke to the team’s website in an interview about whether or not part of the thought process behind extensions with superstars is that they will eventually get done at some point.
Full interview: https://t.co/RdDrXOey2w pic.twitter.com/fEDFNZKjRQ
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) July 24, 2025
Jones didn’t stop there. He praised Dak Prescott – calling him “the ultimate” – and again said Parsons was “doing the right thing” by at least being present. This wasn’t about bodies on the field. The front office cared about the points he scored. For a family that still treats loyalty like currency, Lamb’s 2024 absence apparently left a dent.
Lamb is all well aware of the irony in play here. Speaking to reporters Wednesday about Parsons’ ongoing hold-in, he gave his younger teammate full support – but with a clear warning. “Playing this media game with Jerry it’s not fun, it’s not recommended,” Lamb said. “ I’m not indulging in any of this craziness that they got going, but I want Micah to get paid. Soon.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement of how things go down at The Star. And Stephen Jones just reminded everyone how they view the guys who play hardball.
Parsons plays nice, but Jerry Jones’ still not cutting the check
To his credit, Stephen did more than just air out old frustrations. He also addressed the Micah Parsons contract saga directly – and diplomatically. “Micah is a competitor…hats off to him for being here,” he said. He called Parsons’ presence in walkthroughs and meetings “a big positive,” even if he hasn’t suited up for drills. But don’t mistake that praise for momentum. When the reporters asked Stephen Jones the exact date by which Dallas could expect done deal, he said: “Obviously we’d uh love to have a deal with him, get a long-term deal done with uh Micah, but that’ll come in due time.” Which, in Jones-speak, could mean next week, next offseason…or whenever Jerry Jones decides he’s done testing how far $45 million loyalty stretches.
So why the delay? We’ve seen this movie before. Jerry tried to keep things casual in April, even claiming he didn’t know Parsons’ agent’s name. That didn’t sit well. Parsons fired back on X, saying, “There will be no backdoors in this negotiation.” According to Adam Schefter, once agent David Mulugheta entered the chat, the vibe shifted. Talks stalled. Jerry’s handshake-style dealmaking hit a wall.
Stephen tried to leave fans with hope. “You got to have two people willing to do it,” he said. But it’s clear Dallas is staring at another offseason headache. The difference? This time, it’s their generational defensive talent at the center of it. And right now, Micah is watching everything. Quietly. Strategically. Maybe even counting each fine he’ll rack up for not practicing. The Cowboys want commitment. Parsons wants compensation. And Jerry? He wants both – on his terms. That worked in the ‘90s. But in 2025, it’s a tougher sell.
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