Micah Parsons’ future with the Dallas Cowboys is incredibly uncertain, as the superstar edge rusher requested a trade on August 1.
Contract negotiations have been nonexistent between both sides, and Parsons has had enough with the lack of communication from the franchise.
Dallas has no intentions of trading Parsons, but owner and general manager Jerry Jones may be forced to at some point. Jones doesn’t even know if the Penn State product will be available for the Cowboys’ Week 1 matchup versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
Trading for Parsons will cost a ton of valuable picks and maybe even a player or two. Former NFL general manager and current ESPN NFL analyst Mike Tannebaum proposed a trade that would send Parsons to the Detroit Lions.
Tannebaum’s hypothetical trade package has Detroit trading star safety Brian Branch, a first-round pick, and two second-round picks to Dallas for Parsons.
Parsons landing with the Lions would be electric, as the 26-year-old would form an unstoppable duo with Aidan Hutchinson and elevate Detroit into the favorites in the NFC. Since entering the league in 2021, Parsons has totaled double-digit sacks in each season.
However, trading away a budding superstar still on their rookie contract in Branch for Parsons, who is seeking a historic extension, wouldn’t be a very smart move from general manager Brad Holmes. Branch has already established himself as one of the best safeties in football, and moving on from him would be a grave mistake.
Giving up picks for Parsons makes much more sense for the Lions. The team could also find the money to give Parsons a new contract, but with Hutchinson also needing an extension, Detroit is unlikely to pay two players at the same position top-of-the-market money.
Overall, Parsons playing for Dan Campbell and the Lions would be exciting, but there are too many roadblocks for it to happen.
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