Things got interesting on Friday afternoon when Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons made a public trade request.

The next question is a simple one. What will the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones do next?

The choices are fairly simple. Refuse to do it. Agree to do it. Make him an offer on a long-term deal that he will accept.

Coach Brian Schottenheimer is due to meet with reporters later today. General media availability follows practice. Chances are that most players will echo receiver CeeDee Lamb, who tweeted a simple message on Friday: “Just pay the man what you owe em.”

The magic number, in our view, is $45 million in new-money average. That’s just one factor. Structure, guarantees, and years will be critical, too.

When the Cowboys were negotiating Dak Prescott’s first veteran contract, one of the major sticking points was whether he’d sign a four-year deal or a five-year deal.

The other dynamic at play is this. If the trade request operates as a foot in the ass to a team that drags its feet, will it matter?

It’s possible that Parsons isn’t bluffing. That throwing money at the problem won’t do what it did for Myles Garrett, after he demanded a trade out of Cleveland.

What if Parsons truly wants out and will reject any and all offers the Cowboys make?

The problem for Parsons is that the Cowboys hold his rights for 2025 at $24 million. They can apply the franchise tag (exclusive or non-exclusive) for 2026 and again for 2027. (It becomes ridiculously expensive to do it a third time.)

Thus, the Cowboys can keep Parsons around for three years. They can say, “If you want to play football, here’s where you will play.” That reality alone could be enough to get Parsons to not say “no thanks” to $45 million a year — if the Cowboys offer it.