Trade request or not, don’t expect the Dallas Cowboys to move Micah Parsons
It wouldn’t be a Dallas Cowboys training camp without contract drama, and this year is no different with Micah Parsons.
On Friday morning, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the “Parsons-Cowboys relationship has deteriorated to the point where the star pass rusher is considering drastic measures which could include a trade request or even a declaration that he is severing his relationship with the team.”
Parsons has been present at training camp through the first eight practices but has maintained a “hold-in” status as he awaits an extension to his contract that currently expires at the end of the upcoming season. On Friday afternoon, he requested a trade in a conversation with team executive vice president Stephen Jones. He released a statement on X shortly after.
“Up to today, the team has not had a single conversation with my agent about a contract,” Parsons said. “Not one demand has been made by my agent about money, years or anything else. Still, I stayed quiet but again after repeated shots at myself and all the narratives, I have made a tough decision I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys. My trade request has been submitted to Stephen Jones personally.”
Regardless of the request, the Cowboys do not plan on moving Parsons, multiple team sources told the Star-Telegram prior to his statement. Even if an agreement on an extension does not come, Dallas has all of the control around Parsons’ future and is prepared to use the franchise tag to keep him around in 2026 and 2027 if it’s needed.
The two sides met over an extension in March and built the framework of a deal, but Parsons said both publicly and privately that any deal would have to go through his agent, David Mulugheta. Despite multiple attempts from Mulugheta to be a bigger part of those conversations, including a combine meeting with a team official, there hasn’t been much movement in the four months since.
On Friday morning, Parsons was not present at the team’s walk-through practice.
Whether Parsons’ statement is a negotiation tactic is to be determined, but the tension appears to be increasing as the Cowboys approach their season opener on Sept. 4. It follows a pattern of contract storylines in recent years, as offensive lineman Zack Martin held out for more money in 2023, and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb held out for an extension in 2024. Quarterback Dak Prescott also awaited his contract extension until the morning of the season opener in 2024.
This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 9:31 PM with the headline "Trade request or not, don’t expect the Dallas Cowboys to move Micah Parsons."
