Two NFC East teams hit with trade requests from star players

Photo Credit: Northwest Stadium

The summer of sitting out and requesting trades is in full swing. This NFL offseason has seen a significant number of public contract disputes, some resulting in quick fixes and others leading to players airing their grievances with the organization to the media. Two more players in messy contract disputes made their frustrations known with trade requests last week, and they both hail from the same division.

Two of the best players on their respective teams and in the NFC East division requested trades last week. Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons and Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin made their wishes known just days apart.

McLaurin’s trade request was made in-house last Thursday, with the news being reported to the media shortly thereafter.

The soon-to-be 30-year-old wide receiver had a career year for the Commanders, breaking franchise records and being named to his second Pro Bowl. McLaurin broke the Commanders’ record for most receiving touchdowns in a single season (13), just four shy of tying Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase (17) for the league lead last season. The 29-year-old had 1,096 receiving yards in 17 games, giving him his fifth consecutive season of 1,000 or more receiving yards. He added three touchdowns and 227 receiving yards in three playoff games last season.

In his six-year career, McLaurin has caught touchdown passes from 10 different quarterbacks. Last season, he formed a formidable partnership with rookie passer Jayden Daniels, whom the Commanders drafted second overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. McLaurin was Daniels’ favorite target and helped him win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and earn a Pro Bowl selection.

While it looks like the Commanders have their future franchise quarterback in Daniels, his top target may change after McLaurin’s recent trade request.

The former Ohio State wide receiver is going into the final year of a three-year, $68.4 million extension. McLaurin is currently the 17th highest-paid receiver in the league and isn’t even the highest-paid receiver on his team. DK Metcalf, a wide receiver drafted in the same year as McLaurin, just signed a four-year, $132 million extension after being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason, making him the fourth-highest paid wide receiver in the league. While Metcalf is 27 years old and has similar career receiving numbers to McLaurin, the latter’s production has been more consistent as he has aged.

Age might be the caveat holding the Commanders back from giving McLaurin the extension he is looking for. Oddly enough, the Commanders have the oldest average age of projected NFL starters (27.13) for the 2025 season. General Manager Adam Peters traded for wide receiver Deebo Samuel (29) and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (30). He signed three free agents 30 or above, and re-signed seven players who are 31 or older, including 34-year-olds Zach Ertz, Bobby Wagner, and Tress Way.

While McLaurin is turning 30 before Week 2, the chemistry he has with Daniels will be harder to replicate and replace.

McLaurin did not report to mandatory minicamp and was a no-show at the start of training camp. He eventually showed up at training camp last weekend, but was placed on the physically unable to perform list due to an ankle injury dating back to the end of last season.

Will owner Josh Harris spend the money to retain McLaurin? Head coach Dan Quinn hopes so.

"We love Terry. I'm really glad he's here," said Quinn. "Hopefully he's out practicing soon. We also understand there's the business side of these things that [general manager] Adam [Peters] and his side and Terry and his reps are working it through. I just kind of stay in that space. We recognize both are happening. But like I said, I'm really glad he's here. I love coaching him.”

"You'd like to get these things done quicker, but it doesn't always happen that way," said Adam Peters. "Whatever happens along the way, just understand he's a great player and we want to keep him here.”

For Cowboys pass rusher Parsons, there has been more drama around his trade request and frustrations with the organization.

A day after the news about McLaurin’s trade request, Parsons posted a three-page trade request with the caption “Thank you Dallas.”

Unfortunately, I no longer want to be here,” said Micah Parsons in his social media statement. “I no longer want to be held to closed door negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization, our fans and my teammates. I no longer want narratives created and spread to the media about me.

“Not one demand has been made by my agent about money, years or anything else. Still, I stayed quiet, but again after repeated shots at myself and all the narratives, I have made a tough decision. I no longer want to play for the Dallas Cowboys. My trade request has been submitted to Stephen Jones personally."

Parsons’ frustrations stem from the lack of communication between Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones and his agent. Jones has continuously dragged out and put off contract negotiations that started in early January, right after the regular season.

Throughout the offseason, Parsons saw three elite pass rushers get massive contract extensions. On March 6, four-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby, 27, received a three-year, $106.5 million extension from the Las Vegas Raiders. Three days later, 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, 29, received a four-year, $160 million extension from the Cleveland Browns. Less than a month ago, 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, 30, signed a three-year, $123 million extension with the Steelers, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league.

With Cowboys ownership having prolonged the extension process with Parsons, they will now be forced to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league or trade him.

Parsons is a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Through his first four seasons, Parsons’ production is on a Hall of Fame track. Per CBS Sports, Parsons is the first player since sacks began being tracked as an individual statistic in 1982 to have 12 or more sacks in each of his first four seasons in the NFL. Parsons also leads the league in quarterback pressure rate (20.3 percent) since coming into the league.

Parsons has completely transformed the Cowboys’ defense, and they are a much better unit with him on the field than without him. Per CBS Sports, the Cowboys rank first in the league in defensive expected points added (0.08) with Parsons on the field since 2021. With Parsons off the field, their defensive EPA (-0.04) ranks last in the league.

The 26-year-old is set to receive $24 million in the final year of his five-year rookie contract this season. Parsons was in attendance for training camp, but did not practice with the team after requesting a trade.

Amidst major frustration from fans and even some of Parsons’ teammates, Jones doesn’t seem to be in any rush to strike a deal.

"So there's always negotiation, and the negotiation is to put the best team on the field,” said Jerry Jones. “And many times it's not even a question of 'deserving.' ... I enjoy Micah. But as always in any relationships there's different moods at different times of your relationship. That's what it is. Don't lose any sleep over it. That's the one thing I would say to our fans, 'Don't lose any sleep over it.'"

"Never fails dawg,” said Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in a social media post regarding Parsons. “Just pay the man what you owe 'em. No need for the extracurricular."

Fans showed up to training camp in Dallas with “sell the team” posters and chants, which was not the case in the Nation’s Capital.