FRISCO, Texas -- Players in the NFL habitually mention blocking out distractions throughout the football season. It's been programmed into them at a hardcore intensity since playing Division 1 college football .

Despite the training, it was impossible for Dallas Cowboys players to ignore the noise surrounding All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons ' contract negotiations with Jerry Jones. Still, players were caught off guard when the saga didn't end with Parsons re-signing a top dollar deal with Dallas like Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240 million) and All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136 million) last offseason.

Prescott himself expressed "confidence" in Parsons taking the field with the Cowboys in Week 1 as recently as Aug. 25, days before P

See Full Page