The Micah Parsons trade is only a week old, but the real discourse is just beginning. A deal of this magnitude will be debated for years, and both sides are already fighting to control the narrative
That happened in the Dallas Cowboys' emergency press conference when Jerry Jones said Parsons betrayed his trust by walking back on their handshake agreement in March. Jones also tried to spin the trade as a necessary chess move to remedy Dallas' woes defending the run.
Two can play at that game, though, as Parsons' agent David Mulugheta proved on ESPN's First Take on Tuesday morning.
David Mulugheta sounds off on Jerry Jones after Cowboys' Micah Parsons trade
"Honestly, I don't take it personally ... this never turned personal for myself or for Micah. This is another negotiation. We didn't understand why they wouldn't talk to the agent since I would say probably 99% of the contracts that are done across the NFL are done with player representation," Mulugheta said.
That is pretty much the stance Cowboys fans had the entire time. While Parsons and Jones may have had a closed door agreement that would have made Parsons the highest-paid defender in NFL history, Parsons was never going to sign on the dotted line without involving his agent.
"To expect somebody like Micah Parsons to be one of the best defenders in the NFL and always a great lawyer when it comes to contracts is unfair. His job is to chase quarterbacks, our job is to go out and chase commas for him," Mulugheta continued.
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While Mulugheta clearly advised Parsons to create leverage - from submitting a trade request to claiming back tightness and seeking a second opinion, even hinting at sitting out while still getting paid - this ultimately came down to one thing: Jerry Jones refusing to swallow his pride and move past the failed handshake agreement.
The full details of what Jones offered remain unclear, but Mulugheta added that he and Parsons didn't want to add a fifth year to a potential extension because of how much the market evolves year to year. Top-tier pass rushers sign deals bigger than most quarterbacks now.
It’s easy to see why Jones pushed for a fifth year, but a four-year deal would’ve set Parsons up for another massive extension before turning 30. And make no mistake: every team in the NFL (except one) would line up to pay even an aging Parsons if he ever hit the open market
We’ll know soon enough if Jerry fires back, but Mulugheta already humiliated the 82-year-old by sticking to facts and avoiding anything personal.