The Las Vegas Raiders, like the rest of the NFL, were stirred awake from their preseason slumber after hearing the latest buzz surrounding Dallas Cowboys star pass rusher Micah Parsons. While a trade is still very much an unlikely proposition, Dallas might be inching closer to a point of no return.
The Athletic's Diana Russini reported that Parsons and Dallas have seen their relations deteriorate, and Parsons himself confirmed that he wants out. The Raiders, who have as much cap space in the next few seasons as anyone in the league, could be a team that explores the possibility of a trade.
Given the disastrous deal that shipped former All-Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack from Oakland to the Chicago Bears before the 2018 NFL season, it is only right that the Raiders end up on the right side of a blockbuster trade for once.
This Raiders-Cowboys trade will land Micah Parsons
Dallas will not give Parsons up for chump change, however, as any deal the Raiders make will likely force them to part with a starting-caliber player in addition to multiple high draft picks the Cowboys can use to rebuild.
The Raiders need a big move if they are going to be able to last in the incredibly deep and competitive AFC West, and Parsons could be the superstar this team needs to go from a frisky .500 squad to a unit that can do some real damage in the postseason.
Wilson was downright atrocious in his rookie season, but he started to live up to his potential as a dominant two-way edge at the end of last season. He has his best years ahead of him, which could make him a very interesting trade chip for a Cowboys team that will need to replace Parsons.
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However, even the most passionate Wilson defender will admit that his ceiling will not approach that of Parsons, who continues to establish himself as one of the fastest and most versatile pass rushers the game has seen in recent memory.
In three of his four seasons, Parsons has finished in the Top 3 of Defensive Player of the Year voting. The appeal of pairing Parsons with Maxx Crosby could make life tough on quarterbacks, no matter who else is on that defense.
Pete Carroll had been willing to pay a premium for star defensive players throughout his tenure in Seattle, and that aggression could be enough to possibly get Parsons in the Silver and Black.