Jerry Jones’ explanation of Micah Parsons trade is an insult to Dallas Cowboys franchise and its fans
When Jerry Jones took the podium to discuss the Dallas Cowboys’ shocking trade of superstar defender Micah Parsons, an explanation of the fallout with Parsons was expected. Insight about how negotiations went south following a disagreement over what was said or not said in March when the sides talked about a long-term deal.
However, the owner took a shocking route instead. His explanation was an attempt at portraying the move as something the Cowboys wanted to do to improve the team not only in the future, but now through DT Kenny Clark.
“Without being too broad obviously we did think it was in the best interest of our organization not only for the future but right now as well,” Jones told reporters. ““We did think it was in the best interest of our organization [. . .] We gained a Pro Bowl player in an area that we had concerns in.”
That’s right. The Cowboys tried to sell the departure of a player who has been in the Defensive Player of the Year mix on a yearly basis as an immediate upgrade to the defense. They tried to portray it as them getting the better player for them in 2025. And that, in my book, is an insult to the franchise and its fans.
I strongly disapprove of the trade but had Jones come out and tell it like it is—negotiations got ugly and the relationship with the player crumbled after disagreements with he and the agent—he at least would’ve faced the fanbase with honesty following one of the biggest decisions in team history.
Instead, the same man who told fans earlier in the month he agreed to a deal that would’ve signed Parsons to a deal with the most guaranteed money in NFL history is telling fans, and I quote, “we got what we wanted” out of this deal.
“We’re excited about the changes we’re making,” Jones added. “Those [two] draft picks could get us top Pro Bowl players.”
If they do, it will probably be in the back end of the first round, as the Packers are unlikely to be picking in the Top 10 or Top 15 over the next couple of years. Which, by the way, brings me to this: If you’re pitching the trade as something you planned all along, why not take offers around the NFL earlier in the offseason, when it made more sense? Draft picks from April would’ve helped the team in 2025. Now, fans need to wait until 2026 to see any of those benefits, despite Jones’ claims.
It’s not going to be an easy process for fans to digest the trade. But being upfront might’ve helped. Negotiations went south. The agent didn’t want to do the deal. The relationship wasn’t working. But this?
“This was a move to get us successful in the playoffs, this was a move to be better on defense stopping the run, this was a move to if we get behind, not be run on.”
Yeah. That? That doesn’t cut it. Fans are smarter than that.
Former 3rd Round Pick Named Chiefs’ ‘Most Surprising’ Roster Cut
The Kansas City Chiefs had to make the tough decision to whittle their roster down to 53 players earlier this week, and not all the cuts that occurred were clear and foreseeable to keen-eyed observers.
Breaking from standard practice, the team is currently only carrying 3 safeties on their active roster; 2024 fourth round pick, Jaden Hicks; 2022 second rounder, Bryan Cook; and 2023 fourth rounder, Chamarri Conner, with Mike Edwards the odd-man-out in the position group
And Jesse Newell of The Athletic believed that this was fairly unexpected and called it the Chiefs’ biggest surprise cutdown.
Mike Edwards Cut From Chiefs Roster ‘Suprising’
Newell believed that the coaching staff’s previously stated admiration for Edwards, along with his connection to the senior defensive assistant through his college days, makes him a borderline shocking omission from the final roster.
“Edwards, a seventh-year safety, has a lot of supporters in the Chiefs’ offices.” Newell wrote on Sunday, “That includes defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo — he has shared his admiration for Edwards’ ball-hawking abilities — and also senior defensive assistant Matt House, who was Edwards’ defensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky. Knowing all that, it was surprising the Chiefs cut the 29-year-old Edwards.
The Athletic’s Chiefs writer expressed that one of the core reasons behind this comes their belief in and desire to build up younger, versatile talents in the unit.
“That doesn’t mean Edwards won’t eventually be back on Kansas City’s practice squad, but the move still seems to signal the Chiefs have confidence in some younger players at safety, including cornerback/safety hybrids Chamarri Conner and Chris Roland-Wallace.”
What Do The Chiefs Look Like At Safety?
Bryan Cook is already a fairly established starter, whilst Jaden Hicks will look to take over the second safety position vacated by Justin Reid, who left for the New Orleans Saints in free agency back in March.
And whilst Kansas City are in a unique spot in that they only have three listed safeties on the roster, they do another player in nickel back, Chris Roland Wallace, who can cover at the position.
The team also have, in emergency situations, All-Pro Trent McDuffie, who is also capable at playing some snaps in that same role; a role that many thought he could ultimately end up playing in the pros when he came out of Washington in 2022.
Edwards is certainly a competent, experienced player at the position, and back in 2023 he started five games for the team and played a role in all 17.
But now entering his age-29 season, Edwards is not getting any younger, and it is not shocking that the Chiefs’ defensive coaches, who have cultivated an excellent secondary year-in, year-out, out of mid-round picks on rookie contracts, have gone with their rising talents over veteran entering his seventh year in the NFL.
