The Dallas Cowboys offseason program is underway, but they are without a couple of key contributors from the 2023 campaign. While these workouts are voluntary, it's always notable when there are players absent, particularly when their contract statuses are up in the air.
For instance, CeeDee Lamb is not attending the voluntary offseason program because he has yet to agree to terms on a contract extension. The Dallas Morning News reports that the two sides have yet not had any substantial talks about a new contract with Lamb currently set to play the 2024 season on the fifth-year option. Meanwhile, All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons is also extension eligible this offseason and also not with the team as it begins the offseason program. However, this situation doesn't appear to be as tumultuous.
The Morning News reports that Parsons' absence is not contract-related and is instead centered around Parsons opting for a more personalized training program, which he views as more beneficial. The 24-year-old, who is currently under contract through 2025, went down a similar path last offseason as he worked out at The Kollective during Dallas' voluntary program, as noted by Pro Football Talk. Parsons did show up to the facility for the start of OTAs last year.
Both Lamb and Parsons could command top-of-the-market money whenever they put pen to paper on a new contract, no matter if it's with the Cowboys or not. For Parsons specifically, he could conceivably fetch a contract that makes him the highest-paid defensive player in the league, factoring in how impactful he's been since the team drafted him No. 12 overall in 2021.
Those looming extensions -- along with Dak Prescott entering a contract year -- could be the key reason why it has largely been a silent offseason in Dallas.
Executive VP Stephen Jones even noted that when speaking to 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday, saying (via NFL.com): "When we're all said and done, we max out our salary cap every year. We will have done that and what comes with having a good roster, which we do, we also are looking towards signing our own guys. It doesn't mean it happens overnight. But when you're wanting to sign players like (quarterback) Dak (Prescott) and (linebacker) Micah (Parsons) and (receiver) CeeDee (Lamb), then certainly you have to hold money back if you want to have a realistic chance of signing those guys."
Last season, Parsons was a second-team All-Pro after piling up a career-high 14 sacks in 17 games to go along with 33 quarterback hits and 43 pressures. As for Lamb, he caught a career-high 135 balls in 2023 for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those reception and receiving yard totals broke a Cowboys single-season record previously held by Michael Irvin.
