The Cincinnati Bengals already have to deal with two of the NFL’s best pass rushers in the AFC North. Adding a third would just be unfair.
Current Dallas Cowboy Micah Parsons shocked the NFL world on Friday when he officially requested a trade (demanded might be a more accurate word) on social media. Despite initially wanting to be a Cowboy for life, Parsons said that recent developments in contract negotiations have changed that. Since then, every NFL fanbase has been jumping through hoops trying to figure out what it would take to trade for Parsons and how he would impact their team’s defense.
To be fair, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has already made his stance on Parson’s trade request clear by telling fans not to lose any sleep over it, that this is just a normal part of negotiations. Usually, what Jones said would be right, but this standoff feels different. Even Parsons’ statement on social media reads like a genuine, heartfelt plea rather than something written by an agent looking to maximize the player’s leverage.
However, if a trade does happen, there’s one potential scenario that should terrify Cincinnati Bengals fans, and that would be a deal to the Cleveland Browns. Eric Edholm, a lead writer at NFL.com included Cleveland in one of his most likely landing spots for Parsons, and had this to say about it: “Following the draft day trade involving Travis Hunter, the Browns own Jacksonville’s 2026 first-rounder and their own first. They have enough ammunition to make a major offer if they so choose…for a team possibly turning to a young QB this year, or someone else next year, there’s justification for loading up on defense. A Parsons-Garrett pass-rush duo would also be borderline unfair, potentially one of the best pairings ever, and we know Garrett has been publicly supportive of Parsons' pursuit for a new contract.”
That last part is what’s key for Bengals fans. Pairing up the NFL's two most dominant pass rushers in Cleveland would be absolute nightmare fuel for the rest of the AFC North as they would have to face this duo twice a year. The Browns would likely get 30+ sacks a year just out of Parsons and Garrett alone.
Admittedly, this scenario is extremely unlikely. At the end of the day, Parsons will likely sign a contract with favorable numbers for both him and Dallas. However, there’s a decent chance he gets the trade he requested, and Bengals fans will have to hope they don’t see him just down the road in brown and orange.
Category: Football
