What will really happen with Micah Parsons? Ranking the 3 likeliest scenarios for Cowboys superstar’s future
Drama is at an all-time high. But let’s get real.
We’re under a month away from the Dallas Cowboys’ kickoff game versus the Philadelphia Eagles and the Micah Parsons contract saga continues.
Jerry Jones says he’s absolutely not confident about Parsons playing Week 1. The latter sent an explosive statement demanding a trade. Things are not pretty. But what’s really going to happen?
Below are three likeliest scenarios, starting with the one I expect to happen. Let’s dive in.
1. Parsons signs a long-term extension with the Cowboys before the 2025 regular season
Even though things are at their darkest right now, I still believe there’s light at the end of the tunnel. An extension makes sense for everybody and no amount of haymakers thrown through the media will change that. For Parsons, it’s a way to avoid playing 2025 on a contract year and later, potentially facing back-to-back franchise tags. It’s also a way to avoid being traded to a team he doesn’t want to play for.
For the Cowboys, though they sometimes don’t make it seem like it, it would be beneficial to get a contract in place. They’d get a happy and motivated Parsons, they’d receive immediate salary cap relief in the short term, and you know… one of the best players in football locked up for the long run.
It makes sense. And from the Cowboys’ point of view, things haven’t been much different than they were during the Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb negotiations. That’s why this scenario is still the likeliest for me.
2. Parsons plays 2025 on a contract year, future gets messy
The Cowboys might be serious about their belief that an agreement was made back in March based on eye contact and a handshake. They shouldn’t, and they should be bashed for their attempts to leave Parsons’ agent out of the equation, but they might be serious. They might want Parsons to honor the so-called deal. The latter might truly feel betrayed.
In that case, Parsons could play 2025 without a long-term deal in place. He’d make $24 million for the season and the sides could try it all again in the 2026 offseason, with a franchise tag more than likely being involved. The Cowboys allowed Dak Prescott to play on a contract year in 2019 and later on the tag in 2020.
Considering the relationship is already severed, though, it could be a dangerous game for the Cowboys to play and one that would truly endanger Parsons’ long-term future in Dallas. A trade could realistically be on the mix if no long-term future is secured. An offseason holdout next year could absolutely be in the cards, too. It would simply get too messy.
3. Parsons holds out from regular season games
What if Parsons is truly offended by the way the Cowboys have handled things? What if he’s being completely honest when he says he no longer wants to play of the team, which he said in a statement revealing his trade request?
Missing regular season games could be on the table. It would be costly for him, as he would stand to lose millions of dollars. But it would also put tremendous amount of pressure on the Cowboys and it would show the NFL world the trade request is real. I don’t see this scenario playing out, even less so when hearing DL coach Aaron Whitecotton discussing how bought-in Parsons is in the locker room but we can’t rule it out.
Bonus: A preseason trade, I guess?
I guess I need to add something about this since he did request a trade but realistically, if the Cowboys are to trade Parsons, it’s almost guaranteed it won’t be in 2025. The potential gains in a trade are nothing compared to what they would be losing.
The Cowboys front office has been firm in saying they’re not considering it and common sense tells me they mean it.
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