There’s an unspoken rule in Dallas: when Jerry Jones makes a move, you don’t question it—you just go along for the ride. Ask any Cowboys veteran, and they’ll tell you: if you’re not on board, you won’t be around for long. It’s been that way since the Herschel Walker days, when Jones made the boldest trade in NFL history, gutting his team’s biggest star in the name of a Super Bowl rebuild. At the time, it seemed unthinkable. In hindsight, it built a dynasty.

Now, decades later, history might be knocking again. Micah Parsons, the Cowboys’ defensive cornerstone, has been vocal about wanting Dallas to push harder for talent. He recently requested the owner to become more aggressive in the pursuit of new players. But Jones? He’s been silent. No contract talks, no reassurances—just whispers that the playbook from 1989 might be back in play.

It appears Parsons broke that thumb rule of playing in the Cowboys. Jerry Jones hasn’t talked with the linebacker about his contract extension. The first-round (12th overall) pick in 2021 signed a 4-year $17 million rookie contract with America’s Team. He even won the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. They have a common aim, to win a Super Bowl. But looks like he may soon find himself chasing that dream at a different franchise. Jerry Jones could do something unthinkable: trade Micah Parsons!

Let’s jig back to when Jerry Jones pulled a move similar on Herschel Walker when he became the owner. In 1988, Walker was a standout running back for the Cowboys, one of the stars of the league. He had just had his best year with 361 rushes for 1,514 yards and 5 TDs. So, he was a great asset to the team. But Jones didn’t pay any heed to those facts as he was focused on a rebuild.

The entire NFL world was stunned when the Cowboys sent Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a blockbuster package of players and draft picks. The Cowboys traded Walker along with a few late-round picks to the Vikings for:

• Five veteran players
• Six future draft picks, including three first-rounders and three second-rounders

Jones and then-head coach Jimmy Johnson used those draft picks to build a dynasty, selecting key players like RB Emmitt Smith (Hall of Famer), DT Russell Maryland (No. 1 overall pick in 1991), and safety Darren Woodson (still the record holder for most tackles in franchise history). They would win 3 Super Bowls in the 90s, largely on the back of that trade, while Walker failed to live up to his hype for the Vikes.

Walker shared his thoughts in the 2010 interview for the book America’s Team: The Official History of the Dallas Cowboys. He said, “I never think that much about the trade itself unless someone brings it up. If people want to say it was the biggest trade there ever was and ever will be, I’m OK with that. It’s always good to be a part of history, no matter what the reason.”

This year also, the owner is focused on preparing a Super Bowl-winning locker room. The three-decade drought really is too much. But the rumors are wild.

Jerry Jones still silent on Micah Parsons’ deal

In 2025, Micah Parsons is expected to earn over $24 million from a 5th-year option. The general feeling was that the Cowboys would want to lock him in. At just 25 years of age, he has already played 63 games for the Cowboys with 52.5 sacks, 112 QB Hits, and 256 tackles (172 solo). The rumors of his trade that are now starting to emerge will come as a shock to Dallas fans. But Jerry Jones is silent, for now.

NFL analyst John Middlekauff claimed that the Cowboys shouldn’t trade him and said, “Micah Parsons is 25 years old. He’s just an elite pass rusher. He’s just a really good player… So, you know, I wouldn’t be in the business of trading Micah Parsons like players. I mean, the whole reason you draft is to land guys like him.”

However, the NFL Combine will happen this weekend. So, the Cowboys front office and the LB’s agent could talk in Indianapolis. The analyst also claimed that the Cowboys should get at least 2 first-round picks and 1 second-round pick, in case they decide to trade him.

Jerry Jones wants his team to end the 3-decade drought of a Super Bowl. But will they trade their star LB for this? If they do, will they get nearly as much value as they did for Herschel Walker? Can lightning strike twice? We’ll find out soon.