History shows trading away superstar won’t end well for Cowboys

The confetti might still be falling on the turf in Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana after the Philadelphia Eagles dismantled Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champions in a 40-22 rout.

It was a dominant show of force from the Eagles, who controlled both sides of the line of scrimmage for the entirety of the game, once leading by as many as 34 points before Kansas City got on the board.

As the clock hit zeroes on Sunday night, it not only signaled a full calendar year of having to deal with Eagles fans saying they are the champions, but it also signaled the official end to the NFL season.

Our focus now turns towards free agency and the draft, but first, we must power through the litany of rumors and speculation that we will encounter throughout the process.

One of which has already started. There is a report floating around on Twitter/X that the Dallas Cowboys have had internal conversations about whether to pay EDGE Micah Parsons, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

The alternative to paying him upwards of the $35 million a year that he will likely command for an extension is to trade him away for a king’s ransom. But how much could the Cowboys get in return?

Let me be clear. I don’t think there is any chance Parsons is going to be traded, especially after the Dallas Mavericks just traded away Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The city of Dallas would implode on itself. However, what could a trade look like for the Cowboys?

We have a few examples from recent years to help show us if the king’s ransom would be worth it or not.

Raiders Trade Khalil Mack to Bears

Bears receive: EDGE Khalil Mack, 2nd round pick, conditional 5th round pick
Raiders receive: 2 1st round picks, 3rd round pick, 6th round pick

After the Deal

The Oakland Raiders traded away Khalil Mack just before the 2018 season after contract negotiations came to a stand-still.

Mack had 40.5 sacks in his first four seasons, and was a player on the rise, having already been selected to two 1st Team NFL All-Pro selections on top of an NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

By comparison, Micah Parsons already has 52.5 sacks through his first four seasons, so he would likely command a higher trade package in return.

Oakland took the picks from the Mack trade and turned them into RB Josh Jacobs, CB Damon Arnette, WR Bryan Edwards, and WR Trevor Davis (acquired via trade with Green Bay).

Out of those players, only Jacobs can be called a success, and now he runs behind the Green Bay Packers offensive line. This trade was definitely not worth it for the Raiders.

Jaguars Trade Jalen Ramsey to Rams

Rams receive: CB Jalen Ramsey
Jaguars receive: 2 1st round picks, 4th round pick

After the Deal

The Jaguars were at an impasse in 2019 with their former #5 overall pick CB Jalen Ramsey, who was disgruntled with the team’s path.

In a blockbuster deal, they traded him away mid-season to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for two 1st round picks and a 4th round pick.

The Jaguars turned those picks into DE K’Lavon Chaisson, RB Travis Etienne, and DE Jordan Smith. Chaisson never developed, Etienne was a comfort pick for new QB Trevor Lawrence, and Smith never made the team.

If the Jaguars had to do it all over again, they likely would have tried to make things work out with Ramsey.

Jets Trade Jamal Adams to Seahawks

Seahawks receive: S Jamal Adams, 4th round pick
Jets receive: S Bradley McDougald, 2 1st round picks, 3rd round pick

After the Deal

Amid the rise of Covid-19 in the United States in July 2020, the New York Jets traded away their All-Pro S Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks just ahead of the season.

Adams was holding out for a new contract, but instead was sent to the opposite coast to try and resurrect the Legion of Boom.

New York received S Bradley McDougald in the deal, but he only contributed 36 tackles and three passes defensed in seven games as a Jet.

The Jets turned the picks into OG Alijah Vera-Tucker and WR Garrett Wilson, both of which have been good additions to the team. Adams did not make another All-Pro team after this trade, and has missed more games than he has played.

In hindsight, this trade was a good one for the Jets, but Adams’ impact pales in comparison to Parsons’ impact on the Cowboys defense.