After Micah Parsons went public with his trade request Friday, there was one important question. Would the Dallas Cowboys actually move on from their star linebacker?
ESPN’s Adam Schefter weighed how realistic a move would be and pointed out Jerry Jones’ win-now mindset. That said, he pointed out there’s a chance it could happen, but noted none of the other players who requested trades have been moved.
Historically, Schefter said it wouldn’t fit Jones’ style to trade Parsons – the centerpiece of the Cowboys’ defense. It’s worth noting the franchise has yet to comment on the situation, but the closest comparison Schefter could think of to a potential Parsons trade was the 2018 Khalil Mack trade.
“I’ve been trying to think of the last time that Jerry Jones traded a Pro Bowl-caliber player away. And I cannot think of any,” Schefter said on NFL Live. “Now, there are comps out there. If you look at the time that the Raiders traded Khalil Mack to the Bears right before the season began in September for a couple of first-round picks and other compensation, that would be the closest comp.
“But Jerry Jones wants to win now. He’s not looking to win in the future. He’s not looking for future draft picks. And his history suggests that he won’t be willing to make a trade here. Now, we have yet to hear from the Dallas Cowboys about how they feel about this particular situation.”
When the Raiders traded Mack to the Bears, they received two first-round picks, a third-rounder and a sixth-rounder to Oakland. In exchange, Chicago received Mack, a second-rounder and a seventh-rounder.
Schefter also pointed out a trend among three high-profile trade requests. Parsons, Terry McLaurin and Trey Hendrickson all requested a move while also seeking a new contract. They’re all still with their current teams.
While there would be a market for any of them, Schefter said it’s not easy. After all, it’s not just about giving a player a contract. It’s about giving up enough to make a deal happen.
“But we’ve now seen all three disgruntled contractual players – Micah Parsons, Terry McLaurin and Trey Hendrickson – request a trade at some point either this offseason or this summer,” Schefter said. “It’s one thing to actually make the request. It’s another to see it come to fruition.
“Could it happen? Yes. Every other team would love to acquire any one of these players. But for it to actually happen, takes an awful lot because you’ve got to satisfy the player with his contract and the team that is trading him away.”
