The Dallas Cowboys waited around and found out. I wouldn't recommend that strategy for other NFL teams. Patience may win out in some case around the league, but in recent years it has become clear that the longer you wait, the more the price goes up.
For example, Myles Garrett signed a contract worth $40 million AAV over the next four seasons. Garrett previously demanded a trade, but with the Browns unwilling to commit to such a move, he re-signed in Cleveland instead for a boatload of money.
This creates a dilemma for the Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons, who is younger than Garrett and arguably just as productive. That means Parsons will want a contract that pays him more than Garrett. Had Dallas signed Parsons to a contract, say, yesterday – the highest-paid non quarterback would've been Max Crosby, who signed a $35 million AAV contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. That is still a lot of money, but Garrett increased the benchmark by $5 million. Parsons will expect the same.
And just in case you thought Parsons might be reasonable about this conversation, I had bad news for you.
Lol yooo wtf 😂
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) March 9, 2025
The Dallas Cowboys should not consider trading Micah Parsons
This tweet can just after Jordan Schultz reported the Cowboys could be open to a Parsons trade given the price tag.
"Sources: For weeks, there have been murmurs about whether the Cowboys will actually give Micah Parsons a record-breaking contract — or if a trade could become a possibility. It still seems far-fetched, but with the market now at $40M per year, this situation is one to watch," Schultz wrote on Threads.
If Parsons were made available, there would be any number of teams interested in him. Micah is only 25 years old and he has had 12 or more sacks every season since he entered the NFL. The Cowboys could cash in on a Parsons trade, but they are also unlikely to acquire a player as talented as the former Penn State product in the process.
Parsons is the exact type of player the Cowboys should build their defense around. if he costs $45 million per season, then Dallas should hire a real GM who can manipulate the salary cap better than they can. Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones aren't cutting it in that regard, and the bast majority of their money is about to be invested in three players.
Parsons is a perennial DPOY candidate and as Garrett and TJ Watt age out of their primes, will take over the spot of top pass rusher for half a decade, if all goes right. He is worth the money, even though it's a lot. Trading him would be a huge mistake.
Someone poke Jerry.