A tale as old as trade requests. Professional athletes have gotten smarter and smarter about creating leverage in contract negotiations in recent years. One of those ways is using the threat of specific teams to highlight their value. Whether this be in interviews about hypotheticals, or making their own lists of teams they'd like to go to, using other teams' interest in them can help create leverage.
Micah Parsons and his contract negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys are no different. For various reasons, four teams have been brought up to be possible suitors for the three-time All-Pro. But which ones would he actually want to play for? And which ones are purely a leverage play? Let's try to rank the four teams by how much he'd hate playing there if it ever became a reality.
4. Washington Commanders
This is the team I believe Parsons would most LIKE to play for, and it's for a simple reason - familiarity. Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn was Parsons' defensive coordinator for the edge rusher's first three seasons in the NFL. In that time, Parsons was a three-time All-Pro, finished in the top three of Defensive Player of the Year voting each season, and was fourth in total sacks with 40.5. I think Parsons would be thrilled to reunite with Coach Quinn on an ascending team, with a bona fide young quarterback in Jayden Daniels, and yes, with the chance to face the Cowboys twice a season.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Micah Parsons has said he would love the chance to play for Mike Tomlin someday in his home state of Pennsylvania. This is a sentiment many players share when talking about the Steelers' head coach. Parsons would also have the chance to join one of the league's best defenses and add some serious juice as a player still very much in his prime. The chance to go home, play for Tomlin, and be the newest face of a historic defense would be very enticing to Parsons.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
Now, I know I said what I said about Washington when it comes to playing the Cowboys twice a year. BUT - I do believe Parsons cares more about the Philadelphia-Dallas rivalry than the Washington-Dallas one. During his career, Philadelphia has had far more success across the league, making two Super Bowls and winning one, going back and forth with Dallas in winning the division, and Parsons even has just a 3-4 record against the Eagles compared to a 6-2 record against Washington.
Plus, with how crazy Eagles fans can get, who knows how accepted he'd ever really be there? There'd be a sense of Parsons joining the 'Evil Empire' or pulling a 'Kevin Durant' and going to an already stacked team. Yet, that's still more likely than the last scenario.
1. Atlanta Falcons
And finally, the team that Micah Parsons would actually hate to play for the most of all of the potential options: the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta has become one of the most oddly-run organizations in the NFL. From paying Kirk Cousins $180 million, then drafting another quarterback eighth overall, to trading a future first-round pick to draft two edge rushers within 11 picks of each other – leadership in Atlanta seems to not be able to pick a direction. Parsons will likely be wary of after his time in Dallas.
There are also the problems on the defense that would surround Parsons. While they have a couple of good players on the unit, Atlanta hasn't shown the ability or interest to draft and develop good defensive players. The only stars who has had success in that regard are players like cornerback A.J. Terrell, for example. The team is also on its fourth defensive coordinator in four years, so there's no consistent plan or identity built in on that side of the ball. These issues play out on the field. Since Parsons has been in the league, Atlanta has never finished outside of the bottom ten in defensive DVOA.
Atlanta's questionable leadership, defensive talent and identity, and lack of overall success (last winning season was 2017) would make them the least desirable team Parsons has been linked to over this whole saga.