Micah Parsons played his final Cowboys trump card without saying a word

The Dallas Cowboys wrapped up their preseason with a comfortable 31-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night, but the attention at AT&T Stadium wasn't on anything taking place on the football field. Instead, it was on the sideline, where star edge rusher Micah Parsons was making all too clear just how displeased he was about his continued contract standoff with owner/GM Jerry Jones.

While CeeDee Lamb and the rest of the Dallas starters enjoyed a night off with their teammates on the sideline, Parsons was spotted hanging out on the trainer's table (a couple hours after eating some pregame nachos).

But the fact that Parsons isn't happy with his current situation is hardly news; there's a reason he's asked for a trade in lieu of a new deal. What is news, though, is what happened after the game. Parsons declined to speak with reporters, but he did allow cornerback Trevon Diggs to serve as his media representative. And what Diggs had to say should have everybody on edge:

Who knows, maybe Parsons' balky back is really more of a problem than previously thought. Maybe this is a legitimate injury, one that could very well render him incapable of playing in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, Sept. 4. But it seems far more likely that Diggs is doing his teammate's negotiating for him — and making clear to Jones and everyone else that Parsons is willing to exert the last piece of leverage available to him.

Micah Parsons needs to prove to Jerry Jones that he's willing to miss games

Week 1 is just around the corner. It's clear how Jones is viewing this: He feels betrayed (rightly or wrongly) by how talks have been handled so far, and is confident that Parsons isn't willing to miss games and skip paychecks in order to make his point. Just wait it out, and as the season draws near, eventually his star defender will cave.

Parsons is under contract, and can't go anywhere without Dallas' say-so. That means that the one card he has left to play is, well, playing: Unless the Cowboys are convinced that Parsons will hold out into the regular season, they have no reason to fear him. All of which puts Diggs' comments into perspective: This supposed MRI is a warning, a veiled way to tell the team and the world that Parsons has already made good money and is all too happy to miss out on some game checks if it means getting what he wants — either in Dallas or elsewhere.

Now the ball is in Jones' court. Does he think Parsons is bluffing, a ploy with more than a week still to go until the season that will vanish once the prospect of losing money becomes all too real? Or does he think Parsons is telling the truth, and the only way the Cowboys can get Parsons back on the field is to pay him what he wants (and deserves)?