Why the Cowboys Let a Golden Opportunity Slip: The Micah Parsons-Deshaun Watson Trade That Could Have Changed Everything

The Dallas Cowboys may not be America’s Team anymore. They might not even be Texas’s team.

Just three years ago, the Houston Texans faced a similar dilemma with quarterback Deshaun Watson. He wanted a trade and ended up sitting out an entire season while dealing with over 20 civil lawsuits. Texans G.M. Nick Caserio turned the situation in his favor by creating a bidding war among teams like the Saints and Browns. This strategy ensured he got the best deal possible.

The Cowboys had a chance to follow this example when it came to linebacker Micah Parsons. But, true to form, they didn’t act quickly enough. Often, the Cowboys seem to lack clear direction, and that reflects poorly on their management.

The owner and G.M., Jerry Jones, has a history of making questionable decisions. Since he bought the team in 1989, he took on responsibilities that he was not necessarily qualified for. Despite having a decent record in drafting players, Jones has struggled with timing when it comes to making deals. In the past, he built a team that won three Super Bowls in four years, long before the salary cap was in place. Since then, though, they’ve stumbled on significant contracts, either waiting too long or extending the wrong players.

Now, they missed the perfect window to trade Parsons. Ideally, if they wanted to move him, they should have signaled that back in March. Before other teams made their major moves, before they spent their cap space. This would have attracted more interest and potentially better offers. Jones even admitted that trading Parsons was on his mind for months, but he didn’t engage other teams. That’s a missed opportunity.

If the Cowboys had acted sooner, they could have created a competitive environment like the one Caserio built, leading to a more favorable trade. While the deal received for Parsons included a couple of future first-round picks, they could have done better. The draft picks they acquired are likely to land late in the rounds, and the player they received isn’t in his prime anymore.

Today’s NFL is unforgiving. Timing can make or break a franchise’s future. Recent data shows that teams with active management and swift decision-making often fare better in trades, particularly when it comes to high-value players. For instance, in the past five seasons, only 20% of trades for star players resulted in more than one first-round draft pick unless there was a bidding war among teams.

So, it’s not just about picking talent; it’s also about knowing when to act. The Cowboys had the chance to manage a similar situation like Watson’s, but they let a golden opportunity slip by. Perhaps they should have hired someone with a stronger track record in trade negotiations—like Nick Caserio—before he was snapped up by the Texans.

In the end, the Cowboys need to reevaluate their approach if they want to regain their former glory and truly be Texas’s team.

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