Micah Parsons' contract status with the Dallas Cowboys is going to be a major storyline until he signs a new one since he is under team control for just one more season after the current one, but he isn't looking to put the team in a position where it cannot afford other impact players.

"It would be nice to be surrounded by good players," he said Thursday while revealing he doesn't feel he needs to be the league's highest-paid defensive player, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. "Players are going to help you win championships. I want to keep as many guys as possible. … I want to work with them as much as possible.

"I don't need need $40 million per year. I need to be somewhere where I can have a lake house."

According to Spotrac, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL on a per-year basis at $34 million.

Dallas agreed to a four-year, $240 million deal with quarterback Dak Prescott and a four-year, $136 million deal with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb this offseason, so the front office will surely love to hear that Parsons is not necessarily looking to drastically surpass Bosa's number.

Still, he will be paid accordingly as a game-changer on the defensive side of the ball.

His resume includes a Defensive Rookie of the Year, two First-Team All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowl nods. His versatility allows him to drop back into coverage or rush the passer, and he is just 25 years old with seemingly plenty of peak seasons remaining.

In 10 games this season, Parsons has 8.5 sacks. That means he needs 1.5 more in the final three games to ensure he starts his career with four straight seasons of double-digit sack totals.

The Penn State product has more than lived up to the elevated expectations that were put in place when he was a first-round pick in 2021 and has plenty of leverage when it comes to negotiating his next contract.

Machota noted he wants a new deal before the start of training camp, so this figures to be a key priority for the Cowboys during the upcoming offseason.