-
Todd Archer
Shut
Todd Archer
ESPN Workers Author
- Todd Archer is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Dallas Cowboys. Archer has lined the NFL since 1997 and Dallas since 2003. He joined ESPN in 2010.
-
Jeremy Fowler
Shut
Jeremy Fowler
senior NFL nationwide reporter
- Jeremy Fowler is a senior nationwide NFL author for ESPN, masking your complete league together with breaking information. Jeremy additionally contributes to SportsCenter each as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter masking for NFL video games. He’s an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after masking school soccer for CBSSports.com.
Dallas Cowboys coaching camp started final week with Professional Bowl go rusher Micah Parsons reporting however not taking part as he awaited a contract extension.
Final season, quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb did not get their respective new offers achieved till near the season, so many assumed Parsons’ state of affairs would comply with go well with. Nevertheless, on Friday, Parsons posted on social media that he’s requesting a commerce.
“I now not wish to play for the Dallas Cowboys,” he wrote. “My commerce request has been submitted to Stephen Jones personally.”
ESPN NFL reporters Todd Archer and Jeremy Fowler break down how we obtained right here, what it means and what’s subsequent for Parsons and the Cowboys.
What led to Parsons’ commerce request?
Firstly of camp, Parsons stated he was not annoyed however discouraged. With none formal negotiations, he lastly believed it was essential to make the request. It was not made evenly. Parsons grew up a Cowboys fan and on draft night time in 2021 he willed turning into a Cowboy into fruition — even after Dallas traded again to No. 12 in a take care of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Parsons stated “repeated pictures” led to this choice. On the opening information convention of coaching camp, proprietor and common supervisor Jerry Jones made a flippant comment that even when the Cowboys signed Parsons, it could not assure his availability as a result of he “might get hit by a automotive.”
After a number of followers yelled, “Pay Micah!” final week, Jones known as these remarks “faint” compared to what he heard from followers within the Lamb talks final yr. Govt vice chairman Stephen Jones stated of the followers’ chant, “It does not change something. We wish to pay Micah, too. He is obtained to wish to be paid, too.” — Archer
What’s Jones’ historical past with gamers who requested a commerce?
A number of sources stated they cannot recall a time when a Cowboys participant requested a commerce. Although there have been contentious negotiations up to now — operating again Emmitt Smith missed two regular-season video games in 1993 — it had not gotten to the purpose the place a distinguished participant requested to maneuver on.
The Cowboys have in the end paid their stars, however it has taken time to get offers completed, together with with Prescott (twice), operating again Ezekiel Elliott, guard Zack Martin and Lamb in recent times.
If he opts to take a seat, Parsons might be fined $50,000 a day if he leaves camp. Nevertheless, as a result of he’s on his rookie deal the fines might be rescinded by the membership. Final yr, Lamb went by way of one thing related together with his holdout.
Finally, Jerry Jones has by no means misplaced a star participant he wished to maintain. Parsons, nonetheless, has pushed the state of affairs additional than anyone together with his commerce request. — Archer
Thanks Dallas 🦁👑 🙏🏾! I pic.twitter.com/EUnEj9uRUt
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) August 1, 2025
If Parsons refuses to play, how will that influence the protection?
Take away Joe Burrow from the Cincinnati Bengals and the way would they be? Or Patrick Mahomes from the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. That is the kind of influence Parsons has on the Cowboys.
Parsons recorded 52.5 sacks in his first 4 seasons, trailing solely Reggie White (70), Derrick Thomas (58), J.J. Watt (57) and DeMarcus Ware (53.5) since sacks grew to become an official stat in 1982. Parsons and White are the one gamers to report a minimum of 12 sacks in every of their first 4 seasons, and Parsons reached 12 in 2024 regardless of sitting out 4 video games due to a excessive ankle sprain.
The Cowboys like their pass-rushing depth with Dante Fowler Jr., Sam Williams, rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku and Marshawn Kneeland, however these guys do not have the identical influence as Parsons, who was a finalist for Defensive Participant of the Yr in every of his first three seasons.
That foursome has mixed for 64 sacks, 55.5 of them coming from Fowler. — Archer
What are individuals across the league saying?
A number of league executives interviewed within the hours after the Parsons information made it clear that there’s real intrigue and shock about why Dallas takes this tactic with star gamers.
“They’re costing themselves tens of millions each summer season,” stated a high-ranking NFC govt, including that the staff’s obvious curiosity in headlines and tv dialog round contract points cannot be sufficient for the franchise to offset the cash misplaced.
Folks I’ve talked to depart open the chance that cooler heads will prevail later into August. However they observe that Dallas can be enjoying with fireplace concerning a participant and agent (David Mulugheta) who do not thoughts the position of villain.
“Fallacious participant,” a supply with direct data of Parsons’ course of stated of the Cowboys’ ways.
Parsons is the uncommon star with no blemishes — he is younger, injury-free and on a Reggie White-like trajectory.
A separate NFC exec stated he doesn’t consider the Cowboys will commerce Parsons. Though the commerce return would probably embrace a first-round decide — probably two No. 1s — such a deal could be tough for groups to drag off when contemplating the contract cash they must decide to the participant along with the misplaced draft capital. — Fowler
The tone of Garrett’s request is way totally different than the one Parsons made.
Garrett took to social media in February and stated, “Whereas I liked calling this metropolis my house, my want to win and compete on the most important phases will not permit me to be complacent. The aim has by no means been to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has at all times been to compete for and win a Tremendous Bowl.”
5 weeks later, Garrett signed a four-year, $160 million extension to stay with the Browns.
Parsons wrote about “repeated pictures at myself” and detailed the back-and-forth he had with Jerry Jones in March, saying that the unique intent was to debate management however that Jones turned the topic to his contract.
Can the edges restore a relationship that when had Parsons desirous to by no means go away Dallas and saying to ESPN in December that he did not should be the very best paid defensive participant within the sport? — Archer
How are different gamers responding to this information?
Deal with your finest gamers early.
Saves cash.
Saves complications.The longer you wait, the upper the value.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) August 1, 2025
Response to the Parsons information unfold rapidly throughout social media, together with from a number of Cowboys teammates.
On X, Lamb responded: “By no means fails dawg. Simply pay the person, what you owe em. No want for the additional curricular.”
Cowboys teammates DeMarvion Overshown, Trevon Diggs and Juanyeh Thomas every modified their X profile image to incorporate Parsons.
Buffalo Payments Professional Bowl middle Eric Wooden posted a pic of Parsons in a Payments uniform holding a Lombardi Trophy with the caption: “Seems good to me.”
Former Arizona Cardinals All-Professional defensive lineman J.J. Watt posted: “Deal with your finest gamers early. Saves cash. Saves complications. The longer you wait, the upper the value.”
