LB Micah Parsons Photo Courtesy: Dallas Cowboys
FRISCO, Texas — The Cowboys’ first-round draft pick Micah Parsons and second-round draft pick Kelvin Joseph have officially signed their rookie contracts. Dallas is two steps closer to signing the complete 11-player 2021 draft class.
Parsons, the Penn State product signed a four-year, $17 million contract (fully guaranteed) according to multiple reports. The deal includes a $9.8 million signing bonus. In addition, Joseph was signed to a four-year deal the day after Parsons put pen to paper. With Parsons and Joseph locked up, only Osa Odighizuwa, Chauncey Golston and Nahshon Wright remain unsigned.
Parsons has impressed throughout OTAs and mandatory minicamp at the Star. The team’s 12th overall selection made multiple plays during non-padded practices including a pick six in 11-on-11 drills and burst from a pass rush role. In addition to rushing the passer, Parsons has been learning all three linebacker spots in his transition- Sam, Mike, and Will.
“You can see there was an RPO in practice last week that he [Micah Parsons] almost picked off,” Mike McCarthy described to media. “So, you can see the ability, just the instinct, just the way he can react and get off the spot at the linebacker position…just going through our installs, our concepts. He’s fitting in well.”
The Cowboys are accessing his strengths and rotating Parsons to find what he does best in order to maximize his potential. Dan Quinn has been impressed with his pass rush, stating “he has really picked up where he left off. He really had good speed off the edge. That part of the game is intact. Now we are working on behind the ball things: man to man, playing zone, blitzing from off the ball.”
Joseph, the club’s 44th overall pick out of Kentucky, missed time during OTAs because of a 10-day quarantine period, per Mike McCarthy. He was cleared to return to minicamp and join the rotation in the secondary. Going up against one of the best wide receiver trios in the league will only elevate and accelerate his development.
“But as you know, the transition to the NFL is not one size fits all,” Quinn stated. “But I can tell you I’ve been impressed by his [Kelvin Joseph’s] work. I’ve seen the speed and the quickness. So, we’re trying to get through those things fast. The nice part is when you play defense here you get a chance to guard some pretty good guys over on the other side. He will be tested here in practice and of course in training camp. And I couldn’t think of a stronger group to test and try things. At practice is kind of where we make us. ‘I want to stay on the line of scrimmage as long as I can, I can use a long-hand jam. I can play this player from off.’ Having some of that information is important. That’s why having a guy like Al Harris in your hip pocket is a great thing for a guy like Kelvin.”
