SUBSCRIBE to our emails here.

---

The contract drama with Micah Parsons reached a fever pitch late on Thursday, with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones discussing the ongoing drama with franchise legend Michael Irvin. Things quickly went off the rails when Jones begged Irvin to help get Parsons to the table so they could get a deal done. Leave it up to Jerry to offer a parting shot to his superstar pass-rusher. “When we wanted to send [the offer discussed with Parsons] over to the agent, he told us to stick it up our (expletive),” Jones added. “The least incremental part of the whole equation is the attorney or agent.”

What followed was Parsons deleting everything Cowboys-related from his X, formerly Twitter, along with a post that read, “Micah 7:8 – Even if I fall, I will rise; the Lord is my light.” He tossed up a piece sign as his caption while changing his header bio to “Penn State 2021. TBD,” indicating that he’s unsure of where he’ll play next in the NFL.

Things are not looking good

While the entire sports world waits in eager anticipation for what’s going to happen with the two sides, history tells us it’s going to cost a king’s ransom for any team wanting to get a deal done to land Parsons. Wendell Ferreira from A to Z Sports broke down a few trades in NFL history that could be comparable to what the Cowboys may get for the defensive difference-maker. One thing is certain: It will cost the team interested in signing Parsons more than they might be willing to part with. Let’s break down some of the details.

Khalil Mack

Bears got: Khalil Mack, 2020 2nd, 2020 5th
Raiders got: 2019 1st, 2020 1st, 2019 6th, 2020 3rd

“That is a pretty similar situation to Parsons’. Mack was already a star player and had been the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and a First-Team All-Pro in 2015 and 2016. He had played four seasons, just like Parsons, even though Parsons hasn’t been the DPOY. At that time, the Raiders were clearer than the Cowboys now, and they didn’t want to give Mack a new deal.

“After the trade, the Bears gave Mack a six-year, $141 million extension. That $23.5 million yearly average meant 13.2% of the salary cap at that point. Based on today’s cap, that would be a $37.02 million average — slightly below the highest-paid non-quarterback in football, T.J. Watt, who’s at $41 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“That’s the closest possible comparison, and a deal like that could realistically be in place. If the Cowboys want a player in return, that would affect the package in terms of picks.”

Frank Clark

Chiefs got: Frank Clark, 2019 3rd
Seahawks got: 2019 1st, 2019 3rd, 2020 2nd

“Clark was not an elite player, but he was coming off a career year and had some productive seasons for the Seahawks. In the middle of a Super Bowl window that seems to never end, the Chiefs pulled the trigger and traded a first- and a second-rounder for Clark, who had been franchise-tagged by Seattle. That’s a lot to give up in a circumstance like this, and after the Packers got a similar package for Davante Adams, tagged players haven’t generated as big a return.”

Jared Allen

Vikings got: Jared Allen, 2008 6th
Chiefs got: 2008 1st, two 2008 3rds, 2008 6th

“Allen was an elite player coming off an All-Pro season for the Chiefs, and he became even more dominant for the Vikings. Just like Parsons, Allen had also played four seasons in the NFL at that point. The big difference here is that, without the rookie-scale contract established in 2011, the veteran market wasn’t as inflated as it would become. Allen received $12.06 million yearly average, which is 10.39% of the cap. That would be $29 million a year these days.

“With all those blockbuster trade packages in mind, it’s fair to conclude that any offer for Parsons would start with two first-round picks. The deal would have to include some later picks going back and forth to balance the deal, and the edge defender would get something around a four-year, $166 million extension ($41.5 million a year) to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.”

“Heading towards a divorce”

We’re going to pump the brakes for just a second. Adam Schefter reported that the two sides are “heading toward a divorce.” With the 2025 season nearly underway, it may not be during this upcoming season that the two part ways. As Mauricio Rodriguez shared, “There’s nothing the Cowboys could realistically receive in trade compensation that would make them better in 2026. And following long-term deals to Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, Dallas isn’t in rebuild mode, even if they’re not top Super Bowl contenders either. If a trade did happen down the road, it would likely be in 2026 or later.”

As to why the team might wait to move on from the superstar, it’s all about the draft: “In contrast to trading him today, at that point, Dallas would know exactly which draft picks it stands to gain. The front office would know what the draft class looks like. It would probably know more about players who could also be involved in the deal and would have time to ‘onboard’ them as Cowboys.”

If you’re wondering how the front office is handling things, it’s business as usual. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer was blunt in his assessment of what he thinks is going to happen between the two parties: “I think at the end of the day, we feel like (Micah Parsons) is going to be out there when we line up against Philadelphia in about 15 days.”

Jones and the Cowboys organization are under scrutiny for the way they’re handling the ongoing contract negotiations, and it’s not hard to see why. All that’s left to do is wait and see if a team is willing to go all in with a deal that Jones and the Cowboys can’t refuse. It seems unlikely, but never say never.

Kickoff set for Sept. 4

However, that might’ve changed drastically with what’s transpired over the past 24 hours. With the team’s first regular-season game set for kickoff on Sept. 4, it’s anyone’s guess if Parsons will be suiting up for the Cowboys or another team in just a matter of a few weeks. Get your popcorn ready; this is going to be fun.

---

Only A to Z Sports newsletter subscribers get the rest of this email, which has the latest NFL news and more.

Don’t miss out on next week’s full newsletter: SUBSCRIBE to our FREE weekly NFL newsletter to receive updates on your favorite NFL team and the rest of the league straight to your inbox.