Since Micah Parsons issued his trade request, it has not appeared likely that a deal sending him away from Dallas will take place. The team’s stance on this front could be changing. 
The Cowboys now “appear willing to at least listen” to Parsons trade offers, ESPN’s Todd Archer, Adam Schefter and Dan Graziano report. Calls have come in over recent weeks amidst the ongoing lack of progress regarding extension talks. As of last week, however, general managers around the league did not view a Parsons trade as being feasible.
Owner Jerry Jones has publicly stated Dallas will not trade the two-time All-Pro. Indeed, the ESPN report notes nothing is considered imminent at this time. It comes as no surprise a market exists for Parsons, but it would still come as a major shock if any move sending him out of Dallas were to take place (especially at this point in the offseason). Per the report, the Cowboys are aiming for a resolution of some kind before their season opener next week.
A number of outcomes remain possible, including a long-term pact being worked out just before Week 1. Jones reportedly offered an extension which would have made Parsons the league’s highest-paid edge rusher when speaking with the 26-year-old this spring. The ESPN trio adds further context on that point, noting the Cowboys’ offer was five years in length and averaged $40.5MM per season. Dialogue since then has been sparse, with both sides exchanging public remarks and agent David Mulugheta’s involvement in negotiations proving to be a major sticking point.
Crucially, the ESPN piece notes (and All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. confirms) Mulugheta has yet to receive permission from the Cowboys to discuss an extension with any potential acquiring team. No trade would take place, of course, without an agreement in hand on a multi-year accord for the four-time Pro Bowler. No firm links have been made yet to interested teams in terms of the details of any trade offer, but a Wednesday report indicated the Packers are among the potential destinations if a swap is to take place.
Parsons is on the books for one more season, and the Cowboys could retain him via the franchise tag for 2026 and ’27. The value of his fifth-year option is a matter of dispute, based on the position he is classified as. For now, the former Defensive Rookie of the Year is slated to collect $21.32MM as a defensive end; a switch to outside linebacker would increase his option valuation to $24.01MM. A grievance has been filed, so the matter will remain unresolved pending a conclusion to the case or a compromise being agreed to.
So far in his career, Parsons has racked up 52.5 sacks in 63 regular season games. The Penn State product would be an attractive trade target for any number of teams, but the list of suitors will be dictated by the number of teams with sufficient draft capital to swing a deal along with the cap space to accommodate a massive Parsons extension. The presence of one more teams meeting those criteria could create a bidding war, but only if Jones and the Cowboys truly open the door to dealing him away. Dallas’ willingness to do so will certainly be worth watching over the coming days.