Jerry Jones is a fan of big, unpopular moves. Hell, when he bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 for a fraction of what they’re worth now, the first thing he did was fire the only coach the Cowboys had ever had to that point. It started the pattern of moves that would be unpopular and seemingly ignorant for a brash owner who prides himself on obstructing popular opinions.
In the modern NFL era, he felt he had one final move he needed to make as his years as the sole decision-maker slowly trickle away. That was to offload Micah Parsons, the best player on the roster and best defensive player in the NFL, for two picks and an aging defensive tackle. I hate to try and reason with buffoonery, but there could be a silver lining in a move that simply makes no sense.
This isn’t the first time abrupt trades have yielded a return worth gambling. When Jones dealt Herschel Walker for five players and three picks, it appeared to be a terrible move, until those players became conditional draft picks. Is there some fine print in this deal where Kenny Clark could become an additional pick? Probably not, but Jones wouldn’t have made this move if there wasn’t something on the horizon.
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This messy divorce between Jones and Parsons was destined to happen at some point. Jones overstepped his boundaries, trying to turn the clock back on how to negotiate and Parsons went head-to-head with a person that has no problem letting his ego take front stage.
That said, this move could turn into one that ultimately helps the Cowboys find the next elite EDGE rusher to take over the game. Jones hinted that trading Parsons was just the first domino to fall as the Cowboys frantically approach Week 1. Could Trey Hendrickson be in play? It’s possible, even though the Cincinnati Bengals came to a temporary agreement.
Could Jones seek another young player that to turn into a building block for a defense with so many questions? That’s on the table too, but right now, it seems Jones is taking a step back from his all-in mantra, deeming every year as a Super Bowl bound season. Jones is accepting that maybe this isn’t the year, but it doesn’t mean that the championship window is closing.
Where do the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones go from here
Well, for starters they need to leverage some of the players they already have into building blocks for the future. This team can still win now and with the right moves can still contend in the NFC. Look at the Philadelphia Eagles, they built pretty much their entire defense through the draft. That took time, but it’s possible.
The Cowboys have a surplus of defensive tackles, having just re-signed Osa Odighizuwa this past offseason and retained Mazi Smith despite trade rumors. There’s also no guarantee that Clark sticks around either. Dallas could find a way to make the most of this bizarre move.
Right now, this stings and honestly feels odd trying to rationalize it, but let’s be honest, big names get traded all the time. Rarely ones of Parsons’ magnitude, but it’s not completely irrational. The city of Dallas has now offloaded two franchise cornerstones across two sports in the same calendar year.
The Dallas Mavericks parlayed Luka Doncic into Cooper Flagg, thanks to the NBA Draft lottery. The NFL doesn’t have a draft lottery, otherwise they’d probably have their pick at Parsons’ replacement. Instead, they’ll have to get creative, which is one thing Jones is good at. Although this predicament seems too farfetched to rectify, no matter how you look at it, it could be the start of the Cowboys ending a decades-long championship draught.