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The bottom line to any possible Bears interest in Micah Parsons
Micah Parsons lands a hit on former Bears QB Justin Fields in a 2022 game. Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Bears fans pining for Micah Parsons are the same ones who demanded the team trade for Cleveland's Myles Garrett and that they go after Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson.

They were frothing at the mouth over the thought of T.J. Watt, too, before he got his money. If it isn't an edge rusher, it's a running back or a receiver or lineman. They always want someone else's star.

It doesn't take much for Bears fans to think they should go out and trade for a savior at some key position and, really, they can't be blamed to some extent because a different GM than Ryan Poles did this already for them with Khalil Mack at the very last second before the season.

That experience, alone, should actually deter anyone from hoping they'd trade for Parsons. It was great for that first season when Mack had 12 1/2 sacks, but for numerous reasons the Bears never realized their full investment.

The Bears sent Mack's first team, the Oakland Raiders, two first-round draft picks, a third-round pick, and a sixth-round pick in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick, a conditional 2020 fifth-round pick and Mack. Then they had to pay a deal to him at six years, $141 million that now looks like second-tier money compared to what edge rushers make.

For their investment, they received a holy terror for one year, then someone who didn't even crack the top 25 in sacks for 2019, was 13th in sacks in 2020 and in 2021 didn't even have as many sacks (6.0) as the player who came in to replace him when he was injured. That was Trevis Gipson (7.0).

There is no doubt they wouldn't have enjoyed their one division title in the last 15 years without Mack, but in the end what good was it after they double-doinked out? They lost first-round picks for two seasons and couldn't get the help who eventually might have made Justin Fields' job a little easier when he became quarterback.

So now they should run right out and pursue another similar deal? Forgive me for not rushing out for a Bears No. 11 jersey.

So many people think the NFL is the NBA or MLB and one player will turn around the team. It doesn't work that way in the ultimate team sport. Mack was about as close to it for one season as can happen, but there were limits to how much an edge rusher could really help.

Once coordinator Vic Fangio was gone, the limits became apparent.

Keeping the draft picks and finding actual young talent that costs much less on their rookie contract is far wiser use of salary cap space.

Regardless, none of this matters.

Jerry Jones is never letting something like this happen. Jones has made a lot of cash in his lifetime and didn't do it by being stupid.

They can simply put a franchise tag on Parsons for the next two years if they don't want to pay him the $40 million a year range that a top level defensive end gets now.

The franchise cost would be around $26.5 million in 2026 and $31.8 million in 2027. Either of those amounts would be bargains compared to the $41 million a year Watt received from the Steelers.

Of course they'd franchise Parsons if he doesn't want to sign a long-term deal. He'd play under the tags unless he wants to throw away a fortune, because who knows what tomorrow brings in a league where players suffer crippling injuries all the time?

"I would say to our fans, don’t lose any sleep over this," Jones told Cowboys fans through Nick Harris of the Star-Telegram.

So no matter what the Bears and their fans or other teams and their fans might want, Jones will never trade Parsons until they've at least had the chance to draft a replacement or until their two years of tags expire.

There's more at work in one of these standoffs like this than a particular team wanting a player. The player's current team controls the cards and the franchise tag is the trump card for two years.

Even if this wasn't the case, there are numerous teams with better financial situations for signing an edge to a $41 million a year deal than the Bears. The Bears are currently over the cap for 2026 and need to lose salary. Adding an astronomical salary for someone other than a quarterback makes zero sense.

Using their draft picks wisely and for players who Ben Johnson and Poles collaborate on in the draft process makes far more sense than flushing cap space down the NFL toilet again.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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