Could Cowboys use nuclear option with Micah Parsons?

There seems to be a sense that the situation between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys is much different than the negotiations that happened last year for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.

The Cowboys announced their new deal with Prescott hours before they played their season opener against the Cleveland Browns. Lamb signed his contract extension on Aug. 27, after Dallas' preseason schedule.

Per Michael Silver of The Athletic, there are "bruised" feelings between owner Jerry Jones, executive vice president Stephen Jones and Parsons. The Jones family believed they had a deal in place with Parsons, but the star pass rusher is unhappy that the front office won't work with his agent, David Mulugheta.

Because Parsons showed up to training camp this summer, he lost leverage, and Dallas has several unsavory options to use if no agreement is reached by the beginning of the season. The Cowboys could shut the four-time Pro Bowler down for the season if he leaves camp or could eventually suspend him.

"Now, if Parsons were to leave camp in protest, the Cowboys could send him a “five-day letter”— giving them the right to put him on the reserve/left squad list if he doesn’t return within five days.," Silver wrote. "Once placed on that list, a player is shut down for the season, without pay, and his contract tolls to the following year...

"Time will tell, but if Jones is miscalculating and things get ugly, I wouldn’t rule out a trade, a suspension (and accompanying grievance), or other scenarios that might keep Cowboys fans up at night."

Parsons would be receiving the same treatment the Miami Heat gave Jimmy Butler before they traded him to the Golden State Warriors, by suspending him from the team. 

That wouldn't be ideal for the Cowboys' hopes in the regular season, but nothing about the way Jones is handling talks this summer is setting up Dallas to compete with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jones should have finalized a deal with Parsons' agent before T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby signed their contract extensions. Handshake deals have an early expiration date.

Dallas will be worse off this season without Parsons on the field. Jones needs to get over his hurt feelings and do what's best for the other 52 guys on the regular season roster and first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. 

Pay Parsons the market rate, or find someone who will and make a trade.