COWBOYS EYEING KHALIL MACK AS POTENTIAL MICAH PARSONS REPLACEMENT 🚨
Time is running out for the Dallas Cowboys to find a suitable replacement for Micah Parsons this season. The Cowboys may need to wait until the offseason to find a more permanent solution in NFL free agency.
Dallas continues to emphasize that the addition of Kenny Clark and stopping the run as the team’s alternate plan to replacing Parsons. It remains to be seen if this will have the success the front office is selling.
Cowboys Wire’s Reid Hanson outlined five potential free agents who Dallas could sign to help replace Parsons’ production in 2026.
One name to watch is 9-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Khalil Mack who is entering his fourth season with the Los Angeles Chargers. Mack has had three straight Pro Bowl seasons in Los Angeles.
Let’s dive into how Mack could be a fit for the Cowboys.
Cowboys Rumors: Chargers Pass Rusher Khalil Mack Could Be a Fit as Potential Micah Parsons Replacement
Despite his production, Mack is unlikely to land the same kind of six-year, $141 million contract the pass rusher signed with the Chicago Bears in 2018. The 34-year-old defender signed a one-year, $18 million contract extension for 2025.
“Mack represents the veteran of the free agent bunch and because of that he might bring the most value,” Hanson wrote in a September 1, 2025, story titled, “5 free agents edge rushers Cowboys can sign to replace Micah Parsons include 4x Pro Bowler.” “Mack actually graded better than Parsons last season in all-around play and is only one season removed from a 17-sack, All-Pro season.
“Given his age, Mack would likely only require a year-to-year commitment from teams, making him right up the Cowboys’ alley. Mack could fit in at the top of a rotation in much the same way Dante Fowler does in Dallas now.”
Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer on Micah Parsons Trade: ‘It Was Unanimous’
It remains to be seen how the Parsons trade will turn out for the Cowboys. At the very least, the team’s messaging has been the same about the decision to move on from the star. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer emphasized that the blockbuster trade was “not an overnight” decision.
“We just went through the whole process and at the end of the day, it was unanimous,” Schottenheimer explained, per DallasCowboys.com. “This is not something we came about; it wasn’t something where it was an overnight thing.
“We had talked about it and at the end of the day, I think when you look at a football team, when you can essentially add up to four or five players and things like that it gives you the ability to do some things.”
Cowboys Rumors: Trey Hendrickson & Kwity Paye Are Among the Top NFL Free Agent Options in 2026
The Cowboys are projected to have $38.6 million in cap space in 2026, per Over the Cap. It will be worth watching to see if Dallas gets aggressive during next offseason’s free agency given the team’s cap space.
Hanson outlined additional veteran free agent pass rushers who could be of interest for Dallas. In addition to Mack, Trey Hendrickson, Nik Bonitto, Kwity Paye and Jaelan Phillips are among the other top options the Cowboys could explore.
Joe Burrow is intimidated by Myles Garrett’s power ahead of the Week 1 matchup between Cleveland and Cincinnati
The Cleveland Browns have played pretty well against the Cincinnati Bengals since Joe Burrow entered the league. Burrow is just 3-5 against the Browns as a starter, despite often playing well enough to win. The two teams will square off right out of the gates this season, and it should be a good one in Northeast Ohio.
When the Browns have found success against the Bengals, it has often been because of their defensive line. Myles Garrett and company have consistently gotten the better of Cincinnati’s offensive line over the last few years, and that remains Cleveland’s best path to victory on Sunday. Burrow knows all too well how disruptive Garrett can be.
Joe Burrow gets honest about Myles Garrett ahead of the season opener
“He can win the game if you let him,” Burrow said earlier this week. “You have to, No. 1, game plan around him. No. 2, as a quarterback, you have to be aware of where he’s at all times with protection IDs, and also know where your quick answer is in whatever concept you have called—because sometimes he’s back there before you can even catch the ball, basically, and you have to get it out.
“We play great rushers a lot. He’s one of the best, if not the best. But in this division, you play guys like that a lot, so we’ll have a good plan for him. He’s going to make plays, and when he does, you just have to hold onto the ball and not make a bad play worse.”
Garrett has 28 tackles and 13 sacks in 12 career games against Cincinnati. The former Defensive Player of the Year has recorded a sack in eight of his last nine meetings with the Bengals, including four multi-sack performances. Burrow essentially admitting that Garrett is Cincinnati’s biggest concern should come as no surprise.
Cleveland signed Garrett to a four-year extension worth $40 million per season this offseason. He has posted at least 14 sacks in four straight years and has finished with double-digit sacks in seven straight seasons, dating back to his rookie year when he tallied seven. Once again last season, he was among the league’s most dominant defenders, though the Browns’ 3-14 record kept him from winning his second DPOY award.
Expect the Bengals to give Garrett the star treatment on Sunday with plenty of chips and double-teams. Still, he’s likely to have an impact. When Garrett doesn’t get home, the Browns will need Isaiah McGuire, Mason Graham, Alex Wright, and Maliek Collins to step up. Burrow clearly has a ton of respect for Garrett—and that feeling is likely mutual.
