Micah Parsons: "I don't need $40 [million]" per year

Nearly two weeks ago, Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons suggested that there's no real difference between $30 million and $40 million per year, if a player is in the right place.

Today, he reiterated that fact. And, in so doing, he continued to give more leverage to the team for his looming contract talks.

He said he doesn't need to be the highest-paid defensive player.

"But it would be nice?" he was asked.

"It would be nice to be surrounded by good players,' Parsons said. "Players that will help me win championships, I'll say that. To me, having $40 million and being chipped every play and slid into three, four people, that doesn't sound too fun to me. So, to me, it's about keeping people that can make a difference and obviously we're going to get Sam [Williams] back, some players back. We'll see how it breaks down, but I want to keep as many guys as possible. They will make the cap work, I don't know."

So he doesn't need $40 million?

"No, I don't need 40."

How about $38 million?

"I need to be somewhere where I can have a lake house," Parsons said. "It could be anywhere, it could be a lake house in Lake Tahoe, you don't know."

He also said he plans to work with the Cowboys in order to do a deal that allows them to attack free agency. The sooner a deal is done, the sooner his $24 million cap number for 2025 can be reduced with a long-term deal.

"I want to be back with this team," Parsons said. "This offseason, I want to be here. I want to get these guys right. I want to take big steps, so hopefully it can be done sooner than later so we can attack the offseason."

That's music to the Joneses' ears. After being squeezed to give massive deals in recent years to Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, and Dak Prescott (twice), the Cowboys are about to get a hometown discount from Parsons.

It's his prerogative. But he's selling himself short — and he possibly won't be thrilled if he takes less money and the Cowboys don't add more help.