Cowboys’ Micah Parsons Considering Trade Request as Contract Standoff Continues

One week before the start of the preseason (for everyone except the Chargers and Lions, who played Thursday night), Cowboys star Micah Parsons is reportedly considering a trade request due to mounting frustrations with the lack of progress in his contract negotiations with Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones.

Parsons is in the final year of his rookie contract.

The report comes amid another revelation that reportedly identifies the true source of the tension in the relationship between Parsons and the Cowboys.

According to The Athletic, the trouble stems from Jones’ refusal to negotiate with Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, because Jones believed that he already had a deal with Parsons. As the report lays out, Parsond and Jones spoke directly about an extension back in the spring. While exact details of that conversation are unknown, Jones reportedly left the talks believing that he and his star player had a deal.

So, when Mulugheta later approached Jones to begin contract negotiations, he was rebuffed.

The freezing out of Mulugheta has given way to a war of words that shows no sign of thawing anytime soon.

In early July, Jones highlighted Parsons’ ankle injury from last year, which caused him to miss four games.

“[If] we sign him, doesn’t mean we’re going to have him. He was hurt six games last year, seriously,” Jones said. In reality, it was four games. “I remember signing a player for the highest paid at the position in the league, and he got knocked out two-thirds of the year, Dak Prescott, so there’s a lot of things you can think about, just as the player does when you’re thinking about committing and guaranteeing money.

“Contracts are four, five years, okay? There’s a lot of water under the bridge if you step out there and do something in the first two or three. You can get hit by a car. Seriously.”

In requesting a trade, should Parsons do that, he won’t be alone. In recent years, several high-profile players such as Lamar Jackson, Brandon Aiyuk, Tee Higgins, and Deebo Samuel have requested trades during contract extension negotiations. However, that doesn’t mean Parsons is going anywhere. Of those players who requested trades, none were traded, at least in the year they asked for the trade.