Trade or payday? Conflicting reports on Micah Parsons’ future with Cowboys
ESPN says a Micah Parsons resolution may come in days - possibly even a trade. CBS insists a record deal is all but certain.
With one week left before the Dallas Cowboys open their season against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Micah Parsons saga remains one of the NFL’s biggest storylines. The All-Pro edge rusher has been cleared to practice, has requested a trade, and continues to seek a new deal that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. But depending on which insider you ask, his future in Dallas looks either uncertain or inevitable.
Micah Parsons’ future has insiders split
ESPN: Trade now “on the table”
On ESPN’s “Get Up”, insider Dan Graziano reported that a resolution between Parsons and the Cowboys feels “pretty close.” He outlined four possibilities:
- A long-term deal with Dallas
- Playing out the fifth-year option and risking a franchise tag
- Continuing to sit out while citing back issues
- A trade - now suddenly in play after the Cowboys went from flatly rejecting calls to at least asking “what would that look like?”
Graziano emphasized that this could come to a head within days, even before the weekend.
CBS: “almost certainly” staying put
Meanwhile, Garrett Podell of CBS Sports paints a much different picture. His reporting leans heavily on Jerry Jones’ “deadlines make deals” track record and the confidence of Parsons’ teammates, including Dak Prescott and Trevon Diggs, who both expect him in uniform Week 1.
Podell notes that Parsons has been medically cleared after an MRI, though he’s pursuing a second opinion. He stresses that a trade is “almost certainly not happening” and instead projects a record-setting contract worth about $41.2 million per year.
In Podell’s telling, it’s less a question of if Parsons gets paid, and more about when - perhaps even hours before kickoff in Philadelphia.
Which version holds true?
The divergence is striking:
- ESPN’s angle: Uncertainty reigns, with a trade suddenly not impossible.
- CBS’ angle: Stability wins, with Parsons destined to land the richest defensive contract in NFL history.
What both agree on is the timeline. Pressure is mounting fast. The Cowboys face the defending champs in just a week, and Parsons’ situation could define not just their opener, but their season.
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