The Dallas Cowboys are off to a great start in the 2023 NFL season.
Aside from shutting out the New York Giants, they got solid contributions from all three units.
On defense, the Cowboys registered 12 quarterback hits and seven sacks on Daniel Jones.
One of those sacks was courtesy of Micah Parsons.
In just his third NFL season, the former Penn State standout has already become the heart and soul of the Cowboys defense.
He had 26.5 sacks in his first two seasons, making him a First-Team All-Pro in 2021 and 2022.
Parsons was also good enough to receive votes for the NFL Most Valuable Player award.
Stefon Diggs and Von Miller see him becoming the highest-paid NFL defensive player if he keeps up this production rate.
"It's looking like a 40 piece"
Von and Stefon realizing Micah Parsons projected contract 💰 pic.twitter.com/tsPWcLqqvw
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 13, 2023
Getting a contract worth $40 million annually is very possible for Parsons.
The current highest-paid defensive player, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, has a contract averaging $34 million annually.
Parsons is eligible for a contract extension after the 2023 season.
Extending him should be a foregone conclusion for the Cowboys if he has matched or surpassed his numbers in previous years.
However, Dallas could exercise their fifth-year option on Parsons, giving them two years to finalize a record-setting deal.
While getting the most money is a bonus, Parsons has two goals he is working on.
First, he wanted to establish a new single-season sack record, which is currently at 22.5.
Second, he is working hard to win a Super Bowl title.
This could be the year the latter happens, given how great they were on opening night.
NEXT: Chris Broussard Calls Out Micah Parsons Over Super Bowl Comments