Dallas Cowboys All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons hit the nuclear button with him and the team’s front office at an impasse in contract talks: he has requested a trade.
Parsons posted on Friday afternoon that he personally sent a trade request to Cowboys COO and EVP Stephen Jones. The 26-year-old entered the 2025 offseason hopeful about getting a long-term contract extension done with Jerry and Stephen Jones by getting contract talks started in a one-on-one meeting on Jan. 10. Dallas’ inactivity combined with their latest barbs exchanged through the media have led Parsons to decide he’s had enough of playing chicken with his financial future in Dallas.
Should the Cowboys actually decide to acquiesce Parsons’ request, they could receive a haul of picks, including multiple first-round picks. Parsons is the first player since sacks began being tracked as an individual statistic in 1982 to have 12 or more sacks in each of his first four seasons in the NFL. Hall of Famer Reggie White accomplished the feat in his first four seasons played in the NFL but not in his first four years in the league: White was the fourth overall pick in the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft but didn’t begin playing NFL football until the 1985 season. Parsons’ 330 quarterback pressures since entering the NFL as the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft are tied for the most in the league with Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby, according to TruMedia.
There is a chance Parsons could still be re-signed after making this trade request. Look no further than Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns this offseason. However, where could Parsons land if traded? Here is a look at six potential landing spots based on teams that have enough cap space to fit the All-Pro’s $24.007 million fifth-year option into their budget and Dallas’ potential willingness to deal him to said teams. All cap space figures are according to OverTheCap.com.
2025 cap space: $59.937 million
Despite spending an NFL record $361 million in free agency this offseason, the rebuilding New England Patriots still have money to burn. They have the most cap space in the entire NFL at this very moment (59.937 million), and they could easily fit Parsons’ fifth-year option or a new, long-term extension onto their books. Those are the perks that come with having quarterback Drake Maye on his rookie deal for a few more years.
New head coach Mike Vrabel, a former linebacker himself, would love nothing more than to build the identity of his Patriots through the defensive side of the ball like the early years of the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady dynasty teams that he played for in the early 2000’s. New England signed Milton Williams away from the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and won the bidding war for longtime Tennessee Titans edge rusher Harold Landry III in free agency. Adding Parsons to play alongside those two and Christian Barmore could give the Patriots one of scariest defensive fronts in the entire league.
2025 cap space: $31.499 million
The Los Angeles Chargers made a massive leap in Year 1 of the Jim Harbaugh era in 2024, going from a 5-12 team in 2023 to 11-6 this past season and earning a playoff berth. However, they were unable to bother Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud enough in a 32-12 wild card round defeat, despite the Texans’ struggles to keep Stroud upright all year long. In a division with Kansas City Chiefs three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, the Chargers could use as much pass rush help as they can get.
Nine-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Khalil Mack is on a one-year contract at the age of 34, so the Chargers will need a new anchor on their defensive line. Parsons, who is eight years younger, could certainly be that for Los Angeles for years to come.
2025 cap space: $31.234 million
A trade going down between the Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers, one of Dallas’ longtime playoff bogeymen of late, is unlikely. However, there’s a chance Jerry and Stephen Jones could view sending Parsons to the smallest city with a pro sports team in the United States — Green Bay has a population of 106,311 according to 2024 United States Census Bureau data — as a punishment.
Green Bay needed their pass rush to come through at key moments throughout last season, and it wasn’t able despite what the team’s 45 sacks (tied for the eighth-most in the NFL) and quarterback 35.3% quarterback pressure rate (13th in the NFL) indicated in 2024. The Packers making this move for Parsons could set them up to break through for Super Bowl glory, much like their signing of Reggie White in the 1990’s did. They’ve been the youngest team in the NFL the last two years, and they’ve reached the postseason in both seasons. This could be the move that lifts Green Bay to the next level in the Jordan Love era. It remains to be seen if the Cowboys would be willing to pick up Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst’s phone call.
Las Vegas Raiders
2025 cap space: $37.801 million
The Las Vegas Raiders are set to enter the 2025 season with the oldest head coach in NFL history with Pete Carroll, whose 74th birthday is on Sept. 15. Carroll and the franchise are certainly looking to win now. That’s why they traded for quarterback Geno Smith, who turns 35-years-old on Oct. 10, and drafted Ashton Jeanty, college football’s best running back, sixth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Pairing Parsons with Maxx Crosby, the player he is tied with for more quarterback pressures in the NFL since 2021, would give Las Vegas the most fearsome pass rush duo in the NFL. The Raiders are also familiar with the price necessary to acquire a talent like Parsons given they traded away a similar one in Khalil Mack back in 2018.
2025 cap space: $35.475 million
The Arizona Cardinals had a league average defense in 2025 under head coach Jonathan Gannon, ranking 15th in the NFL in scoring defense (22.3 points per game allowed). They’ve been aggressive in working to become a top 10 unit this offseason, signing former Gannon protege Josh Sweat away from the Super Bowl champion Eagles, signing franchise legend Calais Campbell, drafting Ole Miss’ Walker Nolen in the first round and drafting Michigan All-American cornerback Will Johnson in the second round.
Trading for Parsons could vault Arizona back to playoff contention after missing the postseason for the last three years. The Cardinals also have just one playoff appearance (2021) in the last nine seasons. A young, hungry team like this could make an ideal trade partner for Parsons.
2025 cap space: $29.624 million
A trade to the New York Giants is out of the question, but a trade to New York’s AFC team could make sense. The Jets just locked down two key pieces of their core this offseason by re-signing wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner. Adding another young, elite talent in Parsons could be exactly what the Jets need to get their mojo back in Year 1 under new head coach Aaron Glenn. They have just the right amount of cap space to get the deal done, and reinforcing their defense to support a talented but inconsistent quarterback in Justin Fields would be reminiscent of the mold from the peak Rex Ryan years in 2009 and 2010.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
College football midseason bowl projections: How 2025’s first half has changed December plans
To some, the Pop-Tarts Bowl has become one of the postseason's marquee non-CFP bowl trips. Will Tullos / The Athletic; Julio Aguilar / Getty ImagesAs we pass the college football regular season’s midpoint, around 35 teams still harbor College Football Playoff hopes. For more than 90 other programs, hopes of playing in a bowl game are the next-best thing.Below, we project the CFP lineup plus the traditional bowl matchups. For the bracket, we used Scott Dochterman’s projections that were published on Sunday morning but replaced USC with Notre Dame as the No. 11 seed. This is the final year the Big Ten and SEC champions will be automatically slotted to the Rose and Sugar bowls, respectively.A couple of things to remember: The former Pac-12 schools are still subject to the league’s bowl agreements. That means teams in the current Big […]
Arsenal captain Odegaard to be sidelined for a ‘few weeks’
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is set to be sidelined for a "few weeks" with a knee injury.Odegaard sustained a medial collateral ligament injury during the 2-0 win over West Ham before the international break, leading him to withdraw from international duty for Norway. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Friday: "He will be weeks, no definite date for his return, but he's evolving well. It's very unlucky what's happening with him and his injuries this season, but I think he will be back in a few weeks."It could be [an absence until after the international break] but we will have to see how he is progressing, how his knee is feeling, how he manages the next steps in his rehab, it's too early to get an answer."It is the third injury blow Odegaard has suffered this season following two issues […]
Toulouse and York chosen for Super League expansion as London miss out
Toulouse Olympique XIII and York RLFC have been chosen by an independent panel to complete an expanded 14-team Super League in 2026, as London Broncos miss out. The Super League clubs voted to expand the competition to 14 for 2026, with the first 12 teams to come via the gradings system already in place. Instead of using gradings for all, an independent panel was created to choose the further two teams - chaired by RFL board member Lord Jonathan Caine - to make the decision.They decided that Toulouse and York, who finished 13th and 14th in the gradings system, should be the two teams to complete the top flight. Nine clubs submitted applications.The move up to Super League for Toulouse and York means London Broncos miss out on a spot despite their recent consortium takeover headed up by NRL legend […]
Lehečku čeká čtvrtfinále v Bruselu
Halové podmínky Lehečkovi sedí. Loni v Antverpách došel až do finále, v němž nestačil na španělského veterána Bautistu Aguta. Silák z Kněžmostu prožívá parádní období. V žebříčku je i nadále nejvýše postaveným Čechem, světová sedmnáctka hrála klíčovou roli při postupu v Davis Cupu přes favorizované Američany, když na Floridě Lehečka přehrál Taylora Fritze i Francese Tiafoea.V prvním kole v belgické metropoli měl český tenista volný los, v tom druhém zametl s Gillesem Arnaudem Baillym.Bonzi v Bruselu začal hladkou výhrou proti obávanému servismanovi Reillymu Opelkovi a poté zvládl i třísetové derby s krajanem Valentinem Royerem.Lehečka vede ve vzájemné bilanci 3:1. Jedinou porážku utrpěl před čtyřmi lety na challengeru v Ostravě. Na okruhu ATP český tenista dominuje. Radoval se v kvalifikaci v Monte Carlu 2022 a jednoznačně zvládl i obě letošní utkání. V Melbourne na Australian Open spláchl Bonziho 6:2, 6:3, 6:3 a navrch měl i na trávě ve Stuttgartu.
Nechybělo moc a brankář Dostál se v NHL popral
Hurricanes si na začátku sezony jako jediní udržují stoprocentní bilanci, kterou potvrdili i v Kalifornii výhrou 4:1. Ducks ale nedali kůži lacino, po snížení na 1:2 cítili šanci a v závěru druhé třetiny udělal Mason McTavish před brankou Caroliny trochu dusno. Do pěstního šermu se přidala i devatenáctiletá trojka loňského draftu Beckett Senecke, jenž se rval se dvěma soupeři, kterým přijel na pomoc ještě gólman Andersen. Pětadvacetiletý Dostál byl ale ve střehu, jakmile o jedenáct let starší Dán začal natahovat lapačku a vyrážečku proti anaheimskému teenagerovi, vyrazil na pomoc.Sudí ovšem bitku brankářů nehodlali vůbec připustit a rychle její zárodky uhasili. Oba gólmani pak v čase 40:00 dostali jen dvě minuty za opuštění brankoviště.Pro Dostála ale bylo horší, že na začátku třetí části po vyšachování obrany inkasoval potřetí a po chybě v rozehrávce překazil Sebastian Aho i domácí myšlenky na power play.„Nevím, jestli jsem někdy u soupeře viděl lepší hru s hokejkou. Mockrát nám čistě odebrali […]
MLB playoffs 2025: Max Scherzer turns back time with memorable performance as Blue Jays tie ALCS: ‘He lives for this’
SEATTLE — Three Cy Young Awards. Two no-hitters. Eight All-Star games. Two World Series championships.Max Scherzer has done it all, seen it all, won it all. The 41-year-old future first-ballot Hall of Famer has accomplished virtually everything a pitcher could possibly dream of on a baseball field.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementExcept for this.On Thursday in the bottom of the third inning of ALCS Game 4, Mariners second baseman Leo Rivas drew a walk against Scherzer to lead off the frame. The Blue Jays had just staked Scherzer to a 3-1 lead, but Rivas reaching base as the No. 9 hitter presented a golden opportunity for the top of the Mariners’ lineup to rally their way back into the ballgame. And Scherzer, who had a 10.20 ERA in four September starts and hadn’t pitched since Sept. 24, was expected to be on a short leash […]
Related
College football midseason bowl projections: How 2025’s first half has changed December plans
To some, the Pop-Tarts Bowl has become one of the postseason's marquee non-CFP bowl trips. Will Tullos / The Athletic; Julio Aguilar / Getty ImagesAs we pass the college football regular season’s midpoint, around 35 teams still harbor College Football Playoff hopes. For more than 90 other programs, hopes of playing in a bowl game are the next-best thing.Below, we project the CFP lineup plus the traditional bowl matchups. For the bracket, we used Scott Dochterman’s projections that were published on Sunday morning but replaced USC with Notre Dame as the No. 11 seed. This is the final year the Big Ten and SEC champions will be automatically slotted to the Rose and Sugar bowls, respectively.A couple of things to remember: The former Pac-12 schools are still subject to the league’s bowl agreements. That means teams in the current Big […]
Toulouse and York chosen for Super League expansion as London miss out
Toulouse Olympique XIII and York RLFC have been chosen by an independent panel to complete an expanded 14-team Super League in 2026, as London Broncos miss out. The Super League clubs voted to expand the competition to 14 for 2026, with the first 12 teams to come via the gradings system already in place. Instead of using gradings for all, an independent panel was created to choose the further two teams - chaired by RFL board member Lord Jonathan Caine - to make the decision.They decided that Toulouse and York, who finished 13th and 14th in the gradings system, should be the two teams to complete the top flight. Nine clubs submitted applications.The move up to Super League for Toulouse and York means London Broncos miss out on a spot despite their recent consortium takeover headed up by NRL legend […]
Arsenal captain Odegaard to be sidelined for a ‘few weeks’
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is set to be sidelined for a "few weeks" with a knee injury.Odegaard sustained a medial collateral ligament injury during the 2-0 win over West Ham before the international break, leading him to withdraw from international duty for Norway. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Friday: "He will be weeks, no definite date for his return, but he's evolving well. It's very unlucky what's happening with him and his injuries this season, but I think he will be back in a few weeks."It could be [an absence until after the international break] but we will have to see how he is progressing, how his knee is feeling, how he manages the next steps in his rehab, it's too early to get an answer."It is the third injury blow Odegaard has suffered this season following two issues […]
Lehečku čeká čtvrtfinále v Bruselu
Halové podmínky Lehečkovi sedí. Loni v Antverpách došel až do finále, v němž nestačil na španělského veterána Bautistu Aguta. Silák z Kněžmostu prožívá parádní období. V žebříčku je i nadále nejvýše postaveným Čechem, světová sedmnáctka hrála klíčovou roli při postupu v Davis Cupu přes favorizované Američany, když na Floridě Lehečka přehrál Taylora Fritze i Francese Tiafoea.V prvním kole v belgické metropoli měl český tenista volný los, v tom druhém zametl s Gillesem Arnaudem Baillym.Bonzi v Bruselu začal hladkou výhrou proti obávanému servismanovi Reillymu Opelkovi a poté zvládl i třísetové derby s krajanem Valentinem Royerem.Lehečka vede ve vzájemné bilanci 3:1. Jedinou porážku utrpěl před čtyřmi lety na challengeru v Ostravě. Na okruhu ATP český tenista dominuje. Radoval se v kvalifikaci v Monte Carlu 2022 a jednoznačně zvládl i obě letošní utkání. V Melbourne na Australian Open spláchl Bonziho 6:2, 6:3, 6:3 a navrch měl i na trávě ve Stuttgartu.
Nechybělo moc a brankář Dostál se v NHL popral
Hurricanes si na začátku sezony jako jediní udržují stoprocentní bilanci, kterou potvrdili i v Kalifornii výhrou 4:1. Ducks ale nedali kůži lacino, po snížení na 1:2 cítili šanci a v závěru druhé třetiny udělal Mason McTavish před brankou Caroliny trochu dusno. Do pěstního šermu se přidala i devatenáctiletá trojka loňského draftu Beckett Senecke, jenž se rval se dvěma soupeři, kterým přijel na pomoc ještě gólman Andersen. Pětadvacetiletý Dostál byl ale ve střehu, jakmile o jedenáct let starší Dán začal natahovat lapačku a vyrážečku proti anaheimskému teenagerovi, vyrazil na pomoc.Sudí ovšem bitku brankářů nehodlali vůbec připustit a rychle její zárodky uhasili. Oba gólmani pak v čase 40:00 dostali jen dvě minuty za opuštění brankoviště.Pro Dostála ale bylo horší, že na začátku třetí části po vyšachování obrany inkasoval potřetí a po chybě v rozehrávce překazil Sebastian Aho i domácí myšlenky na power play.„Nevím, jestli jsem někdy u soupeře viděl lepší hru s hokejkou. Mockrát nám čistě odebrali […]
MLB playoffs 2025: Max Scherzer turns back time with memorable performance as Blue Jays tie ALCS: ‘He lives for this’
SEATTLE — Three Cy Young Awards. Two no-hitters. Eight All-Star games. Two World Series championships.Max Scherzer has done it all, seen it all, won it all. The 41-year-old future first-ballot Hall of Famer has accomplished virtually everything a pitcher could possibly dream of on a baseball field.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementExcept for this.On Thursday in the bottom of the third inning of ALCS Game 4, Mariners second baseman Leo Rivas drew a walk against Scherzer to lead off the frame. The Blue Jays had just staked Scherzer to a 3-1 lead, but Rivas reaching base as the No. 9 hitter presented a golden opportunity for the top of the Mariners’ lineup to rally their way back into the ballgame. And Scherzer, who had a 10.20 ERA in four September starts and hadn’t pitched since Sept. 24, was expected to be on a short leash […]
Be the first to leave a comment