Dallas Cowboys star pass rusher Micah Parsons has finally crossed the Rubicon after months of bubbling resentment between him and his team, as the All-Pro pass rusher has officially requested a trade following his dominant four seasons with America's Team.
While the Cowboys themselves will not offer an official statement in response to this move and have no desire to actually trade Parsons, he might end up forcing their hand with one or two weeks of constant negativity and a refusal to give in. All he wants is a new contract.
Parsons' decision could be fatal for Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys, as losing their best defensive player before such a pivotal season could be too difficult for this team to recover from. This chaos has to be exactly what rivals in the NFC want to see, as they can't contain their laughter and glee at Jerry Jones' latest mistake.
An NFC East executive texted Jordan Schultz "lmao, I love this" after the Parsons trade request hit social media. With two contenders in Washington and Philadelphia poised to dominate this division, the fact that they are literally laughing at Jones and the Cowboys is not a good look for anyone.
NFC East executive laugh at Cowboys after Micah Parsons trade request
The Cowboys have no incentive to trade Parsons, who was not a top-three Defensive Player of the Year finalist for the first time in his career, probably because he missed four games with a high-ankle sprain. The two-time First Team All-Pro is one of the best players in the game and the heartbeat of a thoroughly average Dallas defense.
A hypothetical trade could bring back quite a haul for Dallas, however. Not only would they likely receive multiple first-round picks over the next few years, but the Cowboys might be able to replace Parsons by landing a starting-caliber player in the return package.
As enticing as that may be, the idea of taping four players together in an attempt to equal Parsons is not going to bear fruit. Parsons is a uniquely talented pass rusher who is just 26 years old. It is by no means hyperbole to call him the most valuable single defensive asset in football.
The Cowboys' combination of almost comedic stubbornness and Jones' desire to run everything exactly the way he wants has led to a player that executives would commit unspeakable acts to acquire demanding to leave town in a make-or-break season.
This type of dysfunction, sadly, is classic Cowboys.