Cowboys Trade Pitch Lands $29 Million 4-Time Pro Bowl Star
The Dallas Cowboys defense continues to be a work in progress, prompting some speculation the front office could make additional moves before the NFL trade deadline on November 4, 2025. Dallas could still use legit pass rushers given the Micah Parsons sized hole that has been left in Big D.
The Cowboys are hoping Jadeveon Clowney can be a temporary solution, but there is a potential trade candidate who is one of the top NFL pass rushers. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson ranked among the top trade candidates.
Hendrickson has been in a standoff with the Bengals over a contract extension. What would the Cowboys need to give up to land Hendrickson?
Bleacher Report projects that Hendrickson’s trade value is a conditional 2026 second-round pick. Dallas would also likely need to be prepared to sign Hendrickson to a contact extension.
Here is what you need to know about a potential Cowboys-Bengals trade.
The Bengals May Be Willing to Cut Ties With Trey Hendrickson Given Joe Burrow’s Injury
Hendrickson signed a renegotiated one-year, $29 million contract as a temporary solution. The 4-time Pro Bowler is slated to be a free agent in 2026, but the Bengals could also use the franchise tag to retain Hendrickson.
Even with Burrow behind center, Cincinnati probably can’t overcome a suspect defense enough to make a deep playoff run,” Knox wrote in an October 1, story titled, “2025 NFL Trade Block Big Board Entering Week 5.” “Therefore, it would make sense to cash in pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Season-ending injuries to players like Nick Bosa and Marcus Davenport might help allow the Bengals to get something close to their asking price for the 30-year-old,” Knox added.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported in August that the Bengals wanted a 2026 first-round pick and a young defensive player in return for Hendrickson. They probably can’t expect that now, but a desperate team may offer something close to it.”
Bengals Star Trey Hendrickson Had Back-to-Back Seasons With 17.5 Sacks
Hendrickson posted back-to-back seasons with 17.5 sacks and more than 40 tackles. The veteran notched 46 tackles, 36 quarterback hits and 17.5 sacks in 17 starts during the 2024 season.
Through the first four games of 2025, Hendrickson has 11 tackles, six quarterback hits and two sacks. Given Joe Burrow’s injury, it may be time for the Bengals to build for the future and get something in return for Hendrickson.
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones on Potential Trades: ‘I’m Open for Business’
The Cowboys have hinted that more moves could be on the way given the team has two extra draft picks from the Parsons trade. Dallas is allowing 33 points per game, the second worst unit in the NFL.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on if they’re open to adding defensive help via trade: ‘Absolutely, I’m open for business period relative now that we have those extra picks. We should be.'” The Athletic’s Jon Machota noted in a September 19, message on X.
The Bengals are 2-2 but have lost their last two games. Things could go from bad to worse without Burrow, meaning Hendrickson is a player Cowboys fans should keep an eye on as the trade deadline gets closer.
Cowboys legend speaks the brutal truth about Micah Parsons trade
It’s still hard to believe the Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons just before Week 1. Since entering the league, Parsons has been arguably the most dominant defensive player in football—and at just 26 years old, he’s only beginning to hit his prime. Unsurprisingly, he's already making a major impact in Green Bay, exactly as expected.
The prevailing opinion is that the Cowboys made a huge mistake by trading Parsons. It’s hard to argue otherwise. Only Reggie White (70) had more sacks in his first four NFL seasons (52.5), and Parsons didn’t even become a full-time pass rusher until Week 2 of his rookie year. Before that, he played as a running back and off-ball linebacker. That goes to show how special an athlete Parsons is, which is why he's so highly regarded in league circles.
But not everyone believes Dallas got it wrong. In fact, one Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer believes the Cowboys had no choice.
DeMarcus Ware says Cowboys made the right call
DeMarcus Ware knows what it feels like to leave the Dallas Cowboys. He spent nine seasons in Dallas, earning seven Pro Bowl selections. But after four straight seasons without a playoff appearance, the Cowboys released him in a cap-saving move that was hated by the fans and the media. The Cowboys were in no-man's land and decided to let a Hall of Fame talent leave for greener pastures.
Ware then signed with the Denver Broncos, where he went on to win a Super Bowl in 2015. Ware was able to end his career playing opposite Von Miller, while the Cowboys quickly rebuilt their team with the added cap space and went 12-4 during the 2014 season and then 13-3 in 2016.
Ware knows how tough it can be to leave a place like Dallas. But also understand the business side of things in the NFL. In an exclusive interview with FanSided, Ware shared his thoughts on the Parsons trade—and his take was surprisingly supportive of the Cowboys' decision.
"“If [Micah] would have stayed... were the Dallas Cowboys going to win a Super Bowl? I would say no. So let/s do what we need to do.”"
DeMarcus Ware on Micah Parsons trade
It’s never easy to trade away a generational talent, especially one entering his prime. But the reality is that paying Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Parsons a combined $140+ million per year over the next several seasons likely wasn’t a sustainable formula for championship success. Once Prescott and Lamb inked their new deals before the 2024 season, something had to give. Unfortunately, it was Parsons who became the odd man out despite being the best player of the three.
Parsons could follow Ware's path to a ring — and Canton
There’s a strong chance Parsons ends up following in Ware’s footsteps—winning a Super Bowl ring and eventually earning a spot in the Hall of Fame. He's already on a generational pace, and the Packers certainly look like the team to beat in the NFC. And while it will hurt for Cowboys fans to hear it, it was probably the right decision for Parsons, just like it was the right move for Ware.
These are the tough business decisions that define the NFL. For all of Parsons' brilliance, the Cowboys needed to look at the bigger picture. They never had a question about the talent, but the idea of three players taking up 40 percent of the cap for the Cowboys in 2026 and beyond just never made sense.
And that brings us to the harsh truth: the Cowboys haven’t been to a Super Bowl in 30 years. They haven't made an NFC Championship Game during that time, either. Sticking with the same formula and expecting a different result wasn’t going to work. As Ware implies, at some point, you have to break the cycle. This was their best chance to reset their timeline with Prescott and give themselves more flexibility in the future.
Losing Micah Parsons is a painful blow for Cowboys fans. It will sting even more if he leads Green Bay to a Super Bowl in the near future. But if you ask someone who’s lived through a similar moment—DeMarcus Ware—the move wasn’t just understandable. It was necessary.
