Former $141 Million Star Eyed as Cowboys' Potential Micah Parsons Replacement

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The Dallas Cowboys may be searching for a while for Micah Parsons’ replacement.

Time is running out for the Dallas Cowboys to find a suitable replacement for Micah Parsons this season. The Cowboys may need to wait until the offseason to find a more permanent solution in NFL free agency.

Dallas continues to emphasize that the addition of Kenny Clark and stopping the run as the team’s alternate plan to replacing Parsons. It remains to be seen if this will have the success the front office is selling.

Cowboys Wire’s Reid Hanson outlined five potential free agents who Dallas could sign to help replace Parsons’ production in 2026.

One name to watch is 9-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Khalil Mack who is entering his fourth season with the Los Angeles Chargers. Mack has had three straight Pro Bowl seasons in Los Angeles.

Let’s dive into how Mack could be a fit for the Cowboys.

Cowboys Rumors: Chargers Pass Rusher Khalil Mack Could Be a Fit as Potential Micah Parsons Replacement

Despite his production, Mack is unlikely to land the same kind of six-year, $141 million contract the pass rusher signed with the Chicago Bears in 2018. The 34-year-old defender signed a one-year, $18 million contract extension for 2025.

“Mack represents the veteran of the free agent bunch and because of that he might bring the most value,” Hanson wrote in a September 1, 2025, story titled, “5 free agents edge rushers Cowboys can sign to replace Micah Parsons include 4x Pro Bowler.” “Mack actually graded better than Parsons last season in all-around play and is only one season removed from a 17-sack, All-Pro season.

“Given his age, Mack would likely only require a year-to-year commitment from teams, making him right up the Cowboys’ alley. Mack could fit in at the top of a rotation in much the same way Dante Fowler does in Dallas now.”

Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer on Micah Parsons Trade: ‘It Was Unanimous’

It remains to be seen how the Parsons trade will turn out for the Cowboys. At the very least, the team’s messaging has been the same about the decision to move on from the star. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer emphasized that the blockbuster trade was “not an overnight” decision.

“We just went through the whole process and at the end of the day, it was unanimous,” Schottenheimer explained, per DallasCowboys.com. “This is not something we came about; it wasn’t something where it was an overnight thing.

“We had talked about it and at the end of the day, I think when you look at a football team, when you can essentially add up to four or five players and things like that it gives you the ability to do some things.”

Cowboys Rumors: Trey Hendrickson & Kwity Paye Are Among the Top NFL Free Agent Options in 2026

The Cowboys are projected to have $38.6 million in cap space in 2026, per Over the Cap. It will be worth watching to see if Dallas gets aggressive during next offseason’s free agency given the team’s cap space.

Hanson outlined additional veteran free agent pass rushers who could be of interest for Dallas. In addition to Mack, Trey Hendrickson, Nik Bonitto, Kwity Paye and Jaelan Phillips are among the other top options the Cowboys could explore.

Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports contributor covering the NFL, NBA and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been prominently featured on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. More about Jonathan Adams