The nightmare scenario for Dallas Cowboys fans could be one step closer to reality.
Dallas is now willing to listen to trade offers for star edge rusher Micah Parsons, ESPN reported on Thursday.
Parsons submitted a trade request amid a contract standoff on Aug. 1, but was rebuffed by owner and general manager Jerry Jones the next day.
However, with the Penn State product still not practising and the Cowboys’ season opener coming quickly, Jones’ stance on the trade request has loosened, per ESPN.
Dallas takes on the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles in the first game of the season on Sept. 4.
The Cowboys have been spoken to several teams about a Parsons trade, per ESPN, but no trade is imminent.
Parsons, picked 12th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, is entering the fifth-year option of his rookie contract that will pay him $24 million. The 26-year-old boasts a resume that includes Defensive Rookie of the Year, two All-Pro first-team nods and a Pro Bowl appearance in each of his four seasons.
He finished fifth in the league in sacks last season with 12, a half-sack more than Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, who signed a three-year $123-million extension in July to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
The crux of the disagreement between Parsons and the Cowboys seems to be over the specific nature of talks with Jones during the spring that Parsons did not consider formal negotiations. Jones disagrees, believing they had come together on a deal.
“The key is that we’ve got an agreement,” Jones said. “Let’s really understand that we’ve got an agreement now.”
Parsons wrote in his Aug. 1 statement that the Cowboys have refused to engage his agent David Mulugheta in the process, which, along with remarks by Jones during a July 21 press conference, contributed to his decision to publicly request a trade.
Asked if what was discussed in March was still on the table, Jones said, “Micah took it off. He took it off.”
Jones said that he expects Parsons to work off the framework established during the disputed spring talks.
“Now, if we’re going to adjust an agreement, then he’s a must and I’m a must,” Jones said of Parsons’ involvement in future negotiations.
Multiple Cowboys players have posted their support for Parsons on social media, with Lamb writing, “Just pay the man.” Fans shouted their support for Parsons when Jones walked on the field midway through practice, and there was a sustained chant of “Let’s pay Micah!” at the end of Saturday’s workout.
Jones did not answer directly when asked if he expects Parsons will be on the Cowboys for their season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4. He later expressed his belief that the current hostility with Parsons will be resolved in a satisfactory manner for all involved.
“I enjoy Micah, but as always, in any relationship, there’s different moods at different times of your relationship,” Jones said. “That’s what it is. Don’t lose any sleep over it. That’s the one thing I would say to our fans, don’t lose any sleep over it.”
–with files from The Associated Press
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