The Las Vegas Raiders already have one of the best pass-rushers in the league with Maxx Crosby. However, Micah Parsons wants a new contract, and he has now made it known that he wants to be traded from the Dallas Cowboys.
He officially requested a trade last Friday, citing that he no longer wants to play for the franchise. Whether or not that’s actually true or if it’s just a contract ploy remains to be seen, but the Cowboys have yet to sign him to a contract extension, and things are starting to get uncomfortable in Dallas.
If the Cowboys ever decided to trade Parsons, the Raiders would be among the most likely destinations. One of the biggest reasons this trade could happen is that the Raiders are in the AFC, and you can bet the Cowboys will want to move him out of the conference.
Raiders could flip AFC on its head with Micah Parsons trade
But another reason why the move would make sense for the Raiders is that they want to win right now. Pete Carroll will turn 74 in September and obviously has no time to rebuild. That’s why he went out and acquired Geno Smith this offseason and drafted Ashton Jeanty in Round 1.
Carroll is trying to turn the Raiders into a contender right away, and he appears to be on the right track. The best way to supercharge the rebuild is by adding a player like Parsons. According to Pro Football Reference, he has recorded 52.5 sacks and 112 quarterback hits since entering the NFL in 2021.
He is the first player since Reggie White to record at least 12 sacks in each of his first four seasons, and he’s been named a First-Team All-Pro twice despite never being a pass rusher before his rookie season.
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Parsons is only 26, and his ability to line up anywhere on the defensive line and at linebacker makes him one of the most unique players in the league. Pairing him with Crosby would give the Raiders not only the best pass-rush duo in the league but one of the best in NFL history.
It would take multiple first-round picks for the Raiders to land Parsons via trade, but he is one of the top 10 players in the NFL right now, and he is just starting to enter his physical prime. It’s also worth mentioning that the Raiders have the cap space to take on Parsons with over $77 million available in 2026 and beyond.
That number could grow even further depending on the Christian Wilkins grievance, but the Raiders have plenty of space to fit both Crosby and Parsons under their cap. If the Raiders are able to add Parsons at some point this season, it would completely change their expectations for this year and dramatically raise their ceiling.
Suddenly, the AFC West would easily be the toughest division in the league, and the duo of Crosby and Parsons could win games single-handedly. If Parsons ever becomes available, the Raiders appear to be an obvious destination, and it could completely change the outlook of the AFC.