The Dallas Cowboys are the biggest punchline in the sports world right now. How could they not be after they traded the best player on their team to one of their biggest rivals for a lousy return? There aren't enough words in the English dictionary to unpack everything wrong with trading away Micah Parsons.
While details of what influenced the blockbuster are still coming to light, the biggest takeaway from Thursday is that Parsons approached the Cowboys with "empathy" about signing an extension once the Packers trade rumors got leaked. Jones told him to play on the fifth-year option or leave.
In case you forgot, the Cowboys play real football six days and they made what is sure to be an unpopular roster move moments before trading Parsons when they waived wide receiver Ryan Flournoy after he made the initial 53-man roster.
Cowboys inexplicably waive WR Ryan Flournoy after trading Micah Parsons
Salt comes in many shapes and sizes for Cowboys fans right now, and waiving Flournoy absolutely suffices as dumping salt in the wound. He was let go to make room for offensive lineman Trevor Keegan, whom the Cowboys claimed off of waivers from the Eagles.
Brian Schottenheimer was very complimentary of Flournoy, a sixth-round pick last year, after the 53-man roster was announced.
"Over the past two or three weeks, I would say there's been no one that has played special teams more dominant than RyanFlournoy," Schottenheimer said.
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The move leaves Dallas with just four wide receivers on the active roster: CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert. They currently have three WRs on the practice squad, including Jalen Brooks, Traeshon Holden and Jalen Cropper.
It would be stunning if the Cowboys go into Week 1 with just four active receivers. Schottenheimer's quote makes us think they made a handshake agreement with Flournoy to bring him back once (if) he clears waivers while the team sorts out its recent additions.
That better be the case given the development Flournoy showed this summer. On top of being the best blocking WR on the roster, he also the Cowboys' most physical receiver. He has more value than guys like Tolbert, Holden, Brooks and Cropper.
The Cowboys should continue developing Flournoy, but giving up one of the 10 best players alive shows just how clueless this franchise really is.
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