Shortly after rumblings of a potential breakup, superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons took to social media to officially request a trade from the Dallas Cowboys. An offseason of record-setting contract extension chatter has dramatically shifted to him saying he no longer wants to represent the organization. Saying the situation has escalated quickly would be an understatement.
Dallas reportedly has "no intention" of satisfying Parsons' public demands. Whether the Cowboys are posturing to maintain leverage or are true to their word, they're rightfully operating with the mindset that he's not going anywhere. However, it makes you wonder what kind of monstrous offer it would take for the team to decide to move him.
Fortunately, we've seen this movie before, not too long ago either. Like the Cowboys, the Las Vegas Raiders had arguably the best defender and player in the NFL firmly in his prime after a contractual fallout. Khalil Mack commanded a franchise-altering haul in a near-identical situation with equally prolific résumés, so his price tag should set the theoretical floor for Dallas.
Looking back at the full details of the trade that sent a prime Khalil Mack from the Raiders to the Bears 🔄
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) August 1, 2025
The Mack trade could be comparable to a hypothetical Micah Parsons trade if the Cowboys move him, per @AdamSchefter https://t.co/jVUS8bqnmE pic.twitter.com/D1r2nAH7CU
Bears-Raiders 2018 Khalil Mack swap sets blueprint for Cowboys' Micah Parsons trade
The Raiders received two first-round picks, a third-round pick and a sixth-rounder for Mack, a second-round pick and a seventh-rounder. Two of those selections turned into Bears tight end Cole Kmet and Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs (h/t The 33rd Team). Hindsight is always 20/20, though it speaks to the level of talent Dallas can recoup for Parsons, and then some.
Seeing how the Raiders made out by deciding to part ways with Mack should mildly ease Cowboys Nation's concerns. Keeping Parsons in Dallas forever is the ideal outcome, but it's not the only one. It didn't necessarily work out for Las Vegas, but hardly anything does. Nonetheless, let's put their numbers side by side and see why the Bears' substantial package of draft capital is a reasonable starting point.
Khalil Mack's First Four NFL Seasons | Micah Parsons First Four NFL Seasons |
|---|---|
Four-time Pro Bowler | Four-time Pro Bowler |
Two-time First-Team All-Pro | Two-time First-Team All-Pro, One-time Second-Team All-Pro |
2016 Defensive Player of the Year | Two-time top-three Defensive Player of the Year finalist |
84 QB hits | 112 QB hits |
68 tackles for loss | 63 tackles for loss |
40.5 sacks | 52.5 sacks |
9 forced fumbles | 9 forced fumbles |
1 playoff appearance | 3 playoff appearances |
Note: Stats courtesy Pro-Football-Reference.com.
Like Parsons, Mack was entering his fifth year as a pro when the Raiders sent him to the Chicago Bears in 2018. With that in mind, it's worth comparing him to Dallas' standout sack artist through the first four years of their respective careers. As you can see, not only has the latter been more productive, but his efforts have also been more conducive to winning.
Mack has the shiniest hardware between him and Parsons, courtesy of his 2016 Defensive Player of the Year honors. But the Cowboys' disruptor has come close to winning the award, earning top-three finalist consideration twice, including a runner-up finish in 2022. In other words, the former won this battle ever so slightly, though it's highly debatable if he won the war.
Any of Parsons' best single-season performances go toe-to-toe with Mack's, and vice versa. But the 2021 No. 12 overall selection was transcendent immediately, transforming the Cowboys from a 6-10 squad the previous campaign to 12-5 the next. The same can't be said about the ex-Raiders cornerstone, who was a good rookie but didn't instantly alter the organization's complexion.