Micah Parsons is unquestionably the best defender on the Dallas Cowboys and he's quite possibly the best player on the entire roster. Contract negotiations with the 25-year-old pass rusher have dominated the headlines most of the offseason, with the total value rumored to go north of $200 million. For as important as it is to work out a multiyear extension for the All-Pro sack master, it’s a different Cowboys defender who may actually deserve to be priority No. 1.
Cornerback DaRon Bland, an All-Pro in his own right, is also looking for a new deal. Like Parsons, the 25-year-old Bland is also entering the final year in his deal, and the former fifth-round pick is expected to cash in significantly on his next contract. Bland proved to be one of the NFL’s top playmakers in the secondary over the last three seasons. In 2023 he set a league record, intercepting and returning five passes for touchdowns. His ability to play inside and outside while excelling in both man and zone coverage make him an asset in any system, making him a hot commodity should he hit the market.
Retaining both players is certainly the goal and it’s a false dilemma to think only one can be focused on at a time. Unless the Dallas front office collectively suffers from some sort of Dyspraxia, there’s no excuse to monotask this situation. There should be urgency with both players.
🚨🚨 NFL RUMORS #Cowboys LB Micah Parsons is seeking a $200M extension that would make him the NFL’s highest paid non-QB pic.twitter.com/C712qZBZMR
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) March 28, 2025
Yet the contract situation with Parsons looks pretty clear. Similar to Lamb in 2024, the market has spoken, and the parameters have been set. Bland’s market isn’t so clear.
Like the edge market, the CB market has exploded this offseason. New deals for Derek Stingley and Jaycee Horn have reset the landscape and it only stands to get worse. Trent McDuffie and Sauce Gardner are looking for extensions of their own; the former likely to slide into the top three but the latter most likely setting a new bar. Parsons is going to set the bar at edge and T.J. Watt’s upcoming deal probably won’t have much influence on that. McDuffie and Gardner stand to have a much bigger impact on Bland’s new deal.
In addition to getting a deal done with Micah Parsons, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said they are keeping the door open for extension conversations with DaRon Bland and Jake Ferguson (both are entering contract years):
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) March 30, 2025
“Those are really good football players that we want to keep… pic.twitter.com/swFVEPtpC0
No one can be sure what the future holds for Diggs in Dallas. The front office may be regretting that five-year, $97 million deal they gave him two seasons ago given he’s only played 13 games since signing it. If Diggs is on the way out in 2026 it’s imperative the Cowboys retain Bland and waiting until the 11th hour shouldn't be an ...
