Stephen A. Smith accuses Dak Prescott of handicapping Cowboys with $82,000,000 deal amid Micah Parsons' contract controversy

Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith criticized quarterback Dak Prescott for handicapping the Cowboys amidst Micah Parsons' ongoing contract impasse with the franchise. On Tuesday’s edition of First Take, Smith commented on the contract controversy involving the All-Pro linebacker and the franchise.

He singled out the Cowboys’ remuneration for their star quarterback over the years as an overpayment. He said:

“He can ball, but the highest quarterback in the NFL? Hell no... Two playoff wins in 10 years… That’s how you know you’re overpaying your quarterback, Smith said. "That’s how you know you’re not structuring deals right.

"That’s how you know you’re too busy with pomp and circumstance and the headlines… more focused on the red carpet than competing for a championship. You can say whatever you want, but I’m telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

The analyst explained how, over the past five years, the Cowboys have restructured their star quarterback’s deal five times. Consequently, the team has created a sum of $82 million in salary cap space.

The contract dispute between the Cowboys and Micah Parsons has dominated much of the conversations around the team for some time now. Even at the premiere of the upcoming Netflix series on the franchise owner Jerry Jones on Monday, reporters managed to bring up the dispute.

Jones was questioned on the risks of either trading or keeping Parsons with a new contract, and his response was simple, yet complicated. He said:

“All of it’s risk.”

Micah Parsons’ trade request and contract impasse

Despite the standoff with the franchise, Micah Parsons is currently attending the Cowboys’ camp, although he’s dealing with a back injury. However, he remains frustrated, having submitted a request to be traded weeks ago.

Nevertheless, with a year remaining on his contract worth more than $24 million, it’s unclear how things will play out.

The Cowboys are set to play the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday in their preseason opener. Micah Parsons will likely sit the game out due to his injury. But the real question on the minds of fans is whether he will be available ahead of the Week 1 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Parsons has spent four seasons with the Cowboys since being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Throughout four seasons, he has 172 solo tackles and 84 assisted tackles. He has also been a four-time Pro-Bowl selection since debuting in the NFL.