The 10 teams most likely calling the Cowboys about a potential Micah Parsons trade

Friday has been a tough one for the Dallas Cowboys. After months of being danced around top edge rusher Micah Parsons took the next step in contract negotiations by publicly demanding a trade. Parsons, who is about as media savvy as one could be given his relative newness to the NFL world, put out the perfect statement, placing a lot of public pressure on the Jones family. After the huge backlash sent in the direction of the Dallas Mavericks after trading Luka Doncic last season, the local fanbase was ripe to be whipped into a frenzy.

The likelihood still remains that Parsons is inked to an extension, but now the groundwork has been laid where his exodus won't be a total surprise were it to happen. So walking down that path, what teams could be considered potential trade partners for the Cowboys were they willing to listen to the offers they are assuredly getting?

Here, we looked at what it would take to trade for Parsons. Now it's time to examine who could be at the other end of the phone call.

Teams that have no hope of trading for Parsons

The Dallas Cowboys would never trade Micah Parsons to the Philadelphia Eagles. They would also never reunite him with Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders. Fans of those franchises would need the Cowboys to trade Parsons to a team that isn't looking to lock him up to a long-term agreement, because free agency (or a second trade) is the only way he'll make it to either one of those locker rooms.

Dallas is not signing up to have to block Parsons at least twice a year for the next half decade. Giants fans, this means you, too, no matter how not-in-contention your team is right now.

The chances are the Cowboys would be hesitant to trade him to any contending NFC team, but trading Parsons is admitting that championships aren't the primary goal in Dallas, so those clubs won't fundamentally be taken out of the mix.

Teams with young QBs

It stands to reason that teams who have yet to invest financially into their quarterback room are in the best space, financially, to acquire Prescott. The thinking should go, the team with a young QB, in his first or second season, in place can afford to give up multiple first-round picks and also afford to fit Parsons' extension and guaranteed money in under the salary cap without closing the door on paying other positions as well.

The New England Patriots are the No. 1 designation here. They have Drake Maye under reasonable contract for the next several seasons, and have $59 million in cap space they can use to front load much of the money in a Parsons extension.

Another team to consider would be the Tennessee Titans, who drafted Cam Ward No. 1 overall and have $29 million in cap space remaining, plus are projected to have $85 million in space next season.

Bo Nix is the lead guy for the Denver Broncos, and though they don't have much cap space in 2025, an extension and some restructures could make the deal work, though they'd like need to send Dallas back a contract or two in the deal.

Also in consideration under this specific team profile, the Chicago Bears (Caleb Williams), Minnesota Vikings (JJ McCarthy), Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix, though they spent two first-round picks on edge rushers in April), and the New Orleans Saints (Tyler Shough, though they never have cap space).

The Carolina Panthers are entering Year 3 of no success with Bryce Young so they should be included as well.

Teams with anemic pass rushes

Taking a statistical view for a second, which are the teams that had a serious issue rushing the passer last season? Adding the best statistical college-to-NFL player in league history would certainly improve fan investment into watching a team that hasn't been able to get to the opposing QB.

The Patriots and Titans were both bottom-five teams in Pro Football Focus' team pass-rush marks in 2024, so they are once again included in the subset of trade possibilities.

Also within this group are the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and the Vikings as well.

The team that just make sense

The Cincinnati Bengals are currently in a contract dispute with their star edge rusher, Trey Hendrickson, who has not reported to training camp. Hendrickson is likely looking at his final big payday, at age 31, which the 26-year old Parsons is looking for his first. Could the Bengals send their disgruntled star, along with a bevy of picks, for the right to extend Parsons? After paying both of their top wideouts and QB Joe Burrow, that's a lot to ask for the Brown family, but it makes the most sense on paper.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys Micah Parsons tradew would make most sense with these 10 teams