The Dallas Cowboys are staring down a pivotal offseason, and all eyes are on star linebacker Micah Parsons as contract talks heat up. At 25, Parsons is already one of the NFL’s most dominant defenders, with 52.5 career sacks and four All-Pro nods in just four seasons. But with the market for elite pass rushers soaring—Myles Garrett just landed a $40 million-per-year deal—rumors are swirling that Dallas might balk at Parsons’ price tag. One wild idea making waves: a blockbuster trade that could send the All-Pro to NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles. It sounds like a fever dream, but let’s dig into why this chatter’s gaining steam and what it means for the Cowboys.
The speculation kicked off when Joe Giglio of 94WIP Midday Show in Philly floated the idea of the Eagles trading for Parsons. “Parsons is my NFL Juan Soto,” Giglio said. “I want him in Philadelphia at all costs.” It’s not hard to see why the Eagles would salivate over him—Parsons paired with Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith would give Philly a defensive front that’d make quarterbacks lose sleep. The Eagles are fresh off a Super Bowl win, and adding a generational talent like Parsons could cement them as the NFC’s team to beat. But for Dallas, trading him to a division rival would be like handing over the keys to the kingdom—especially in an NFC East that’s already a gauntlet with the Commanders emerging behind rookie QB Jayden Daniels.
On the Cowboys’ side, the hesitation comes down to dollars. FOX’s Jordan Schultz reported “murmurs” of a potential trade after internal discussions about Parsons’ long-term deal, especially with the pass-rusher market hitting $40 million a year. Posts on X show fans are split—some are convinced Parsons is as good as gone, with one viral video sparking rumors of a trade to the Detroit Lions. Others, like teammate CeeDee Lamb, are fed up with the noise, with Lamb posting on X in February, “Y’all aren’t tired of this? Let’s just win ball games and that’s with 11!” Cowboys insider Nick Eatman thinks Parsons’ deal will land closer to Maxx Crosby’s three-year, $106 million extension than Garrett’s record-breaker, saying, “Crosby’s contract is probably the floor for what Parsons will ask.” But recent posts on X from insiders like Ed Werder and Albert Breer suggest there’s been “no meaningful” progress on an extension, fueling the trade buzz.
Here’s the reality: trading Parsons would be a gut punch for Dallas. The Cowboys are coming off a brutal 2024, finishing seven games behind the Eagles, and injuries to Parsons and Dak Prescott didn’t help. They’ve already shelled out big for Prescott and Lamb, and Parsons is the cornerstone of their defense. Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson pegged his trade value at a minimum of three first-round picks, citing the Brian Burns trade as a benchmark—Burns drew an offer of two first-rounders plus more. But even with that haul, losing Parsons to Philly would be a PR disaster for Jerry Jones, who’s already under fire for a quiet offseason that saw the team add reclamation projects like Kaiir Elam and Kenneth Murray Jr. instead of proven stars.
The drama doesn’t stop there. Parsons and former teammate DeMarcus Lawrence, who signed with the Seahawks this offseason, have been trading barbs on X, with Lawrence saying he left Dallas because he didn’t think they’d win a Super Bowl. Parsons fired back, and the feud’s got fans wondering if locker room tension could play a role in Dallas’ decision. For now, though, most insiders—like Jon Machota of The Athletic—believe Parsons isn’t going anywhere. The Cowboys’ front office has said they want to extend him, and Stephen Jones called talks “preliminary” but a priority.
So, could Parsons really end up in Philly? It’s a long shot—Dallas would be torching their own future to boost a rival. But if contract talks stall, and Jones gets antsy about the price, the NFC East could be in for a seismic shift. For now, Cowboys fans are holding their breath, hoping their star stays put.
