The Dallas Cowboys are unlikely to trade Micah Parsons. I might as well start there. However, his recent comments about his contract – or lack thereof an extension – suggest any blockbuster away from Big D is as likely as ever. Even then, it's still not all that likely. Parsons is an incredibly valuable player and if Jerry Jones hopes to take the Cowboys to new heights, he will need his star pass rusher on board. However, Jones also needs to pay Parsons, and that is where the Patriots come in.
The Patriots are in the middle of a rebuild. Their fanbase may not see it that way, but it's true in NFL terms. Drake Maye has promise and could be a Pro Bowl-level quarterback. In that sense, the Patriots have the most important position in football figured out. It's about time they solved the second-largest question on their roster. New England needs a star pass rusher. It would dramatically change their defense, and open their window ever so slightly. They'd also have to pay Parsons, which is easier considering they have their quarterback on a rookie contract.
How could the New England Patriots trade for Micah Parsons?
I'll be honest, it would take a lot. First, Parsons would need to reach a level of frustration with Dallas that they give him permission to find a deal elsewhere. I don't see that happening, as Parsons has remained loyal to the Cowboys throughout this process. However, comments made as recently as Tuesday by Micah suggest his patience is wearing thin.
"Like, to me, I look at it like if people don’t see your value, you don’t cry and sit down. You just work harder. You got to show people your value. I just think that’s the difference. Like I go, okay, ‘bet,’ and I just work," Parsons told PennLive. "...I’m just going to get mine no matter what."
In that last statement, Parsons was answering a question about why he wasn't worried about what the Cowboys paid him, and he has a point! Whether the Cowboys keep Parsons on a long-term deal (the recommended option for the sanity of the fanbase) or trade him, he will get his money.
What a Patriots-Cowboys trade for Micah Parsons would look like
Now, any trade for Parsons would start with a first-round pick and likely include a bit more. The Cowboys will not part with a franchise icon easily. New England has plenty of picks in their cupboard, though, so they can feasibly make the Cowboys an offer they cannot refuse.
Don't get me wrong, the Cowboys would ask for more in any trade for Parsons. However, the longer they wait to extend their star pass rusher, the more his price tag goes up. These days, the Cowboys would have trouble extending Parsons for anything less than $42 million AAV. The deal TJ Watt signed on Thursday didn't make matters any easier, and Parsons is arguably better (and certainly younger) than the Steelers star.
What Dallas should do is sign Parsons immediately. What they will do is let his situation flounder, and thus give the media more time to speculate.
