Jerry Jones Comments On Micah Parsons’ Trade Request

Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones was not short on company following the team’s training camp sessions today. Surrounded by reporters and with jeers raining down from nearby fans in attendance, Jones delivered his comments on the bombshell trade request issued by star defender Micah Parsons yesterday. Jones’ first comment?

“I would say to our fans, don’t lose any sleep over this.”

The quote (courtesy of ESPN’s Adam Schefter) set the tone for a series of nonchalant answers that seemed to paint Parsons’ request less as something to be taken seriously and more as a standard part of negotiations. It was followed by similar unconcerned statements disregarding Parsons’ seriousness such as “we’re in good shape” and “this is a negotiation,” per Jon Machota of The Athletic. When asked about the deal that was supposedly on the table in March, Jones claimed simply that “Micah took it off the table,” according to Dallas Morning News’ Joseph Hoyt.

Jones shrugged off the accusations from Parsons of being cornered without his agent present to negotiate. Parsons had told media that he had gone to speak with Jones under the guise that conversations would be concerning leadership before Jones shifted the conversation to negotiations once he was behind closed doors. When asked about Parsons’ view of that confrontation (in a video provided by Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram), Jones dismissed it, emphasizing his own viewpoint by directing a defensive “are you asking me?” to the reporter.

Jones has received plenty of criticism in recent years for his strategies in negotiations with big players, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Most notably, last year, he waited to extend quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb until long after several other players at both positions had fully reset the markets. Those who criticize argue that, had he pushed negotiations earlier, the Cowboys could’ve saved millions on each deal by setting the new market rather than reacting to it.

Those who see a method to Jones’ madness believe that the businessman is perfectly willing to pay a bit more for each contract in exchange for the free marketing that comes as a result of dominating the news cycle this time of year. While this could certainly serve as a secondhand benefit to the owner’s pockets, from a football perspective, the inflating contracts with each negotiation still make it difficult to continue building a roster around these big deals.

Todd Archer of ESPN points out that, of all those negotiations of the past called into question — those of Prescott (twice), Lamb, Ezekiel Elliott, Zack Martin, and even way back with Emmitt Smith — none have gotten to the point of a trade request. Most have gotten the deals they were looking for, even if at the last second; Smith’s deal came after missing all of training camp and sitting out the first two games of the 1993 regular season, both of which resulted in losses. Ultimately, as Archer points out, “Jones has never lost a star player he wanted to keep.”

Archer also notes, though, that Parsons has “pushed further than anybody” else with yesterday’s trade request. Perhaps Jones is right, and they are “in good shape.” Perhaps he fully plans on paying Parsons every bit of what is being asked for financially, just after denying other asks of earlier negotiations and a trade request. With that request, Parsons has already entered new territory for Cowboys stars. Now, we’re left to wonder if he’ll be the first of those stars to slip away from Jones.