When Micah Parsons rolled out his trade request two weeks ago, it quickly became known the Cowboys had no intention of granting it. Considering Parsons’ status as Dallas’ top player and one of the league’s best overall talents, no deal ever seemed realistic.
We have seen similar standoffs lead to blockbuster trades in the recent past. Khalil Mack‘s Raiders negotiations devolved into a blockbuster trade with the Bears. Jamal Adams‘ 2020 Jets talks ended up leading him to Seattle. Both trades required packages headlined by two first-round picks.
Both those instances involved a team trading a player a previous regime drafted, as Reggie McKenzie and Mike Maccagnan respectively drafted those defenders in the top 10 — before Jon Gruden– and Joe Douglas-orchestrated trades occurred. The Cowboys’ Jerry Jones–Stephen Jones–Will McClay operation, of course, drafted Parsons in 2021. Although the sides are not believed to be actively negotiating an extension right now, Parsons continues to show up for practice as an observer. The Cowboys will almost definitely not take the opportunity to cash out on one of the NFL’s top assets now.
GMs have not gotten the sense Parsons is available, according to Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson, who adds one anonymous front office boss informed him of a sense Parsons being available would have come with a trade price no team could realistically meet. Considering Parsons’ status as a three-time All-Pro and having posted four straight double-digit sack seasons to open his career — only Parsons and Reggie White have done that — the Cowboys would have been poised to ask for a historic trade package for an early-prime player.
The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year who was traded ahead of his fifth-year option season, Mack is the closest comp here. Mack’s Oakland tenure was not quite as consistent as Parsons’ first four Dallas seasons, despite ascending to a DPOY perch Parsons has yet to, and the superstar was going into an age-27 season at the time he was dealt to Chicago. Mack fetched two firsts, a third and a sixth (in a deal that sent the Raiders a second and a conditional fifth).
Were Parsons to be traded, he would be highly unlikely — given how cap growth has changed in the years since — to accept a six-year extension like Mack did. The defensive end’s preference for a shorter-term deal has brought a potential sticking point, as the Cowboys regularly prefer longer-term pacts. But the prospect of a team needing to give Parsons a deal perhaps near $45MM per year would naturally affect a trade price.
Trade rumors and speculation came up well before Parsons’ request surfaced, but it was never viewed as a likely outcome — even after the Cowboys gave Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb top-market deals. Parsons has not shifted to a holdout, which is interesting given that this process has differed from past Cowboys extension sagas due to a trade request emerging. The Cowboys could also waive Parsons’ daily fines in a holdout since he is attached to a rookie contract.
If this impasse persists, Parsons would effectively need to play the holdout card if it came down to remaining unhappy with the situation by Week 1. The Cowboys are banking on the impact pass rusher not being ready to miss out on $1.5MM game checks. The team did not complete its Lamb deal until August 26, 2024 and famously did not have Prescott’s done until hours before Week 1. Time remains during the latest overly long Dallas negotiation.