There's no end in sight for Micah Parsons with the Dallas Cowboys. Franchise owner and general manager Jerry Jones still has a wall up when it comes to the defensive end's contract, but time's running out.
The former Penn State football linebacker submitted a trade request that he publicly announced on Aug. 1. Since then, Jones has made several comments about the matter, including a claim that the conversation he and Parsons had about leadership back in March that turned its way into discussion of Parsons' extension is basically the final deal. The defensive end requested and urged the Cowboys to contact his agent in order to legitimately negotiate a contract extension and sign off. Dallas has been silent since.
Jones said he was even unsure of Parsons' availability for the first game of the regular season on Sept. 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Allowing the dispute to reach this point already is absurd, especially considering Parsons made it clear he will pursue other options around the NFL. Now as the third and final week of preseason rolls in, there's a lack of confidence regarding the former Nittany Lions' home in Dallas.
ESPN's Adam Schefter says the Micah Parsons-Jerry Jones contract holdout has become personal
Adam Schefter made an appearance on "Get Up" on Monday and discussed his thoughts and recent updates with the contract dispute. He said that there's no movement in finalizing a deal
“It is different," Schefter said. "It’s gotten personal, and they’re no closer to a deal, and there’s no reason to think that the Dallas Cowboys and [Parsons] will be able to work out a deal before the start of the regular season."
Even though this is an unfortunate trait of Jones and the Cowboys, sticky contract situations with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, for instance, cannot compare to the tension of Parsons' dispute.
Jones attempting to assure fans that this isn't something to lose sleep over, Schefter made a point on "Get Up." No communication has sparked between Parsons' agent and Dallas since late March and early April. They're in the midst of month five without any movement whatsoever. Schefter isn't confident that a sudden change of mind and heart will erupt, prompting Jones and the Cowboys to finally put an end to all of this.
"At some point in time, you have to wonder if they would look to trade him," Schefter said. "Now they’ve been very opposed to that idea, publicly saying we’re not interested in trading him, he’s not going to be dealt, but you can’t not sign the guy, and then you can’t not trade him. It’s one or the other.”
The more Parsons is sidelined during the regular season, the more money he loses in his final season under his rookie contract. He should be the highest paid non-quarterback in the league. Without a Cowboys contract extension, it might come to a point where a trade is inevitable and Parsons finds a new home in the NFL — one without the last-minute hassles.
New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers pop up as potential trade options for Micah Parsons
New England has the most to spend this year across the league with a $60 million salary cap. General manager Eliot Wolf said on Monday that he'd be willing to trade a first-round player for the Patriots to acquire a worthy player. Parsons is one of three players who have requested a trade that the Patriots should be (and would be) willing to spend a hefty amount on.
They brought in Harold Landry and K'Lavon Chaisson alongside their Bradyn Swinson draft pick. That's not the depth New England needs at defensive end, but with Drake Maye's rookie contract, it can certainly spend the money to make a major upgrade at the position.
"New England obviously does not have anyone like him coming off the edge . . . Last season, the Patriots generated pressure on only 28.1% of opponent dropbacks — 31st in the NFL," CBS Sports' Jared Dubin wrote. ". . . It would be well worth it for them to trade a first-round pick and potentially much more if they could secure Parsons, even accounting for the monster contract extension they'd have to give him."
What the Cowboys wouldn't like, but is still a possibility, is Green Bay acquiring Parsons in a trade.
"I would expect the Packers would be among the teams really interested. They have paid Jordan Love, they have a bunch of really good, young players . . . They have money to spend and they are really good," Ian Rapoport said on the "Pat McAfee Show." ". . . That’s the kind of team that I would say, if [Parsons] was going to be traded, that he’d be going to because it's like, we need one final piece . . . he's worth all the money, so pay him all the money."
The Packers are a young team with a long-term vision of going deeper into the playoffs in 2025-26 and beyond. At 26 years old, he would be extended until he's around 30 or 31 years old, matching well with other Green Bay players also in their prime years. It's a nearly perfect combination for a team that's willing to spend, even if Dallas fans can't stomach the thought.