We’re going to break the fourth wall here; something rarely done in the professional sports arena of the writing world. Blogging has morphed over the last decade plus to absorb many of the rules and regulations of journalism as the endeavor has evolved. I’m going to interject myself into an article, waving the rule of never using a first-person perspective.
I didn’t think I’d ever be the one to utter these words. Even with a boatload of caveats and preface qualifiers, it still feels weird to say this. I think if things continue to spiral over the next six weeks, the Dallas Cowboys’ front office needs to consider a trade of star pass rusher Micah Parsons.
Caveat No. 1: Micah Parsons’ post-game comments following the debacle were exactly the words that one needs to hear from their team’s star defender. He directly answered questions about body language, keeping faith, what he sees as the problem.
Preface No. 1: This potential trade thought is in no way a claim that Parsons isn’t a top defender in the NFL. I believe absolutely is worth everything he’s going to get paid.
Preface No. 2: Again, “If things continue to spiral over the next month“. Just feels like that needs to be reiterated.
Before a 19-point fourth quarter rally, Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens was en route to a second-straight home blowout loss in which the defense could do absolutely nothing to stop the opposition from doing whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.
Dallas has now allowed 464 rushing yards over its last two contests in games where the starting quarterbacks were 11 for 12 (before four late incompletions) and 12 for 15.
Mike Zimmer’s defense in non-competitive and it’s eerily reminiscent to the Mike Nolan season of 2020. Zimmer took over for Dan Quinn and is known as a taskmaster in direct contrast with Quinn’s doting father-figure approach.
Caveat No. 2: Zimmer runs a system with a reputation as one difficult to learn its nuances.
Still, Parsons missed the installation portions of the offseason and thus far he hasn’t been the generational defender fans are used to seeing. Parsons is a strong season starter normally, but one can’t help to wonder if he had participated in the voluntary aspects would he and his teammates have more of that trust he spoke of them lacking in his poignant post-game locker conversation.
I have little doubt things will get to clicking eventually, but if it still isn’t enough, what’s next?
Dallas has already paid three of their stars, inking CB Trevon Diggs to a massive extension in 2023 and QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb within the last month. Parsons is clearly going to be the highest-paid non-QB when he inks his extension and the expectation is that will come this offseason.
It’s not about paying top dollar to four different players; the San Francisco 49ers are doing the same. The issue is paying top dollar for four stars who play at the most expensive positions in football: quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, cornerback and tackle are the high-pedigree spots. The 49ers are paying Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, running back and tight end are lower-tier salary positions, along with WR Brandon Aiyuk and edge Nick Bosa.
The Cowboys can, of course, fit a Parsons extension under the cap. There are far too many ways to circumvent the accounting rules of the salary cap to pretend the “slices of pie” metaphor from Stephen Jones holds real weight. But if the results aren’t forthcoming, then the idea of paying everyone is a questionable endeavor.
Trading Parsons could be seen in a similar vein to how the Washington Nationals traded Juan Soto with over two years of control left. An organization hates to part with a generational talent, but if the return is a monumental amount of potential and the reward for keeping him is still being mediocre, it should be considered.
Trades of superstar defenders are not uncommon in the NFL. The Cowboys themselves acquired Charles Haley from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for second and third-round picks back in 1992.
More recently, the Denver Broncos got that same haul from the Los Angeles Rams for Von Miller. The then-Oakland Raiders traded star pass rusher Khalil Mack along with a future second-round pick to Chicago in exchange for two Bears first rounders, and a future third rounder. Jacksonville sent Jalen Ramsey to the Rams for two first rounders as well. Darrel Revis, Richad Seymour, Champ Bailey are all star defenders who have been jettisoned by their original teams.
It’s not hard to imagine a team sending Dallas a first and second-round pick in the 2025 draft plus a 2026 first rounder to get Parsons for a playoff run.
The trade deadline is November 5.
Dallas has five more contests and a bye week before that happens. By then, it will be apparent whether or not the Cowboys have a chance to truly be competitive, or if the club is on the trajectory of wiping out the coaching staff and starting clean in 2025.
The Cowboys will likely have around $85 million of cap space to play with next offseason once they pull the restructure levers on Prescott and Lamb’s new deals. If things continue they way they are, they will have a top-15 draft pick, or better.
The pass rush would be worse without Parsons, but if the Cowboys had additional premium picks then multiple other positions could be improved with wholesale labor costs (rookie contracts) in addition to finding pass-rush help on the open market for less cost than a Parsons’ extension.
It’s not a ridiculous school of thought, if we’re being honest.
