The Dallas Cowboys just bid farewell to their All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons but could they replace him with another elite defensive end?
That's the hypothetical situation suggested by Marcus Mosher of the Locked on Cowboys podcast. The deal would allow Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office to retain all the pieces from the Parsons trade while also acquiring the NFL's sack leader last season.
Cowboys trade for Trey Hendrickson
Here's the hypothetical deal Mosher suggested.
Cowboys receive
- Trey Hendrickson
Bengals receive:
- 2nd round pick (2026)
A trade like this would likely also be attached to a long-term extension for Hendrickson. The All-Pro edge rusher held out of training camp before getting a $14 million raise for this season, bringing his number to $30 million in the final year of his deal.
"If you're the Cowboys could you make the argument he's not Micah Parsons but he's $15 million cheaper, he's had more sacks over the last couple of years," Mosher said. "We don't have to pay him as much and keep those first-round picks."
Dallas clearly believes it needs help on the edges defensively after signing veteran Jadeveon Clowney to a one-year, $4 million deal this week.
A trade for an edge rusher who had 17.5 sacks last season while retaining Kenny Clark and the two first rounders acquired in the Parsons deal would be an optimal situation for the Cowboys. And with Joe Burrow potentially out for the season it could make sense for the Bengals too.
THAT IS WHY YOU PAY TREY HENDRICKSON pic.twitter.com/IFrsWTBAB5
— Barstool Cincinnati (@UCBarstool) September 14, 2025
But with Jerry Jones' hesitancy to sign Parsons to a long-term extension would he feel differently about Hendrickson? If he wants to spread the money across the roster this deal could fall through.
It's a trade that's totally possible but it's more likely to remain a hypothetical.
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