The Eagles nearly traded defensive tackle Jalen Carter this past summer for former Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons, according to Parsons.
“It was very close,” Parsons said on his podcast The Edge about getting traded to the Eagles. “Before the Jaelan Phillips (trade), before all of them, it was me. I was really about to come, but there was one person that I had to play with that if he was gone, I did not want to be there. And that was Jalen Carter.”
So Parsons heard that Carter was a part of the deal and said no to joining Philadelphia? Parsons claims that is the case.
“They wanted the defensive tackle,” Parsons said. “They wanted to trade me (for that), plus some picks. I don’t really care about the picks, but I’m coming to play next to JC. Sorry, Cowboys, it really almost happened.”
Who knows whether Parsons is telling the truth, but the idea is fascinating. Had the Eagles traded Carter after his first All-Pro season — even for a superstar of Parsons’ level — it would have been an unpopular decision.
It’s hard to believe the Cowboys would have traded Parsons in division, especially to the top team who was coming off a Super Bowl victory.
Ultimately, the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
Earlier this season, NFL insider Jay Glazer reported Eagles general manager Howie Roseman offered the Cowboys two first-round picks, a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick for Parsons. He didn’t mention Carter’s name.