Whether or not one agrees with the Dallas Cowboys’ reasoning for not yet extending Micah Parsons’ contract, it is not a particularly promising indication. At 25, Parsons is arguably the NFL’s most gifted defender overall and is entering the peak of his career. It’s unlikely he would settle for any deal that doesn’t make him the highest-paid defender in the league. Although the Cowboys have already picked up Parsons’ fifth-year option for 2025, letting him play under that option would be a significant slight.

If they fail to reach an agreement on an extension soon, rumors of a trade will likely escalate from murmurs to loud discussions. Many Cowboys supporters would be furious if the team decided to trade Parsons under any condition. However, setting emotions aside, what could the Cowboys genuinely gain if they opted for a blockbuster trade?

K.D. Drummond from Cowboys Wire proposed a mock trade that would send Parsons to the New England Patriots, a team currently lacking star power, in exchange for a five-pick package including the Patriots’ next two first-round selections. “The simplest parallel to a Parsons trade can be seen in the Khalil Mack deal from a previous decade,” he noted.

“The then-Oakland Raiders traded him to the Chicago Bears for multiple high-value picks, including two first-rounders. “Dallas trades Micah Parsons to the Patriots for picks 1.4, 2.38, 5.144, the 2026 first-rounder, and the 2027 third-rounder. The Patriots would offer Parsons a five-year, $205 million contract with $90 million fully guaranteed.” Three selections this year, two first-rounders, and five picks across the next three years constitute a substantial return.

The Cowboys could potentially acquire several talented players through such a deal. However, they’d also risk appearing as a team lacking a clear direction. Nonetheless, there is one player in the draft potentially available with the fourth pick that the Cowboys might receive from New England, who could make trading Parsons seem reasonable: his fellow Penn State alumnus, Abdul Carter.