Last Thursday, the Dallas Cowboys traded their superstar edge rusher, 26-year-old Micah Parsons, to the Green Bay Packers. Micah has been a franchise cornerstone-caliber player for the Cowboys since he touched the field in 2021.
There were whispers about this trade within NFL circles earlier in the week, but the consensus was that no one is crazy enough to trade a player of Parsons’ caliber. Those NFL front offices failed to recognize the often rogue and ridiculed owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones.
Jones is always a center of attention and seemingly always wants the spotlight, but this seemed to have been brewing over the last few months, starting with a failed contract extension discussion in March and again in July, leading to a trade request on the first day of August. Trade requests in the NFL are often blown off as a way to negotiate for more money, but money isn’t a problem for Jones or the Cowboys, as they surely could have afforded it. According to Jones, the move was made due to a failure to stop the run over the past seasons.
Dallas got 10-year NFL veteran Kenny Clark in return, along with two first-round picks. Clark is a good player, and there is no questioning that, but he is a pure run stuffer and not a 3-down player like Parsons. Clark’s best years are thought to be behind him by everyone except the Cowboys’ front office.
In NBA terms, this deal is wildly comparable to the February Luka Doncic Lakers trade, where the Mavericks got back value, but unanimously not enough. The stars of both trades are going to more stable organizations and got paid handsomely by them.
Immediately after the trade to the Packers, Parsons inked a 4-year, $188 million contract with Green Bay. Parsons is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in the history of the game. The Packers aren’t just adding a player; they are adding a personality. Parsons isn’t the prototype vocal leader, but surely leads with his play. He also has his own podcast, which generates buzz both good and bad, which could have been something Jones didn’t like.
This ranks among the most stunning trades in NFL history and changes both franchises immeasurably in both the short and long term. Is Dallas and Jones playing chess, or did the Packers land a premier player in the middle of his prime? We won’t have to wait long to find out as Dallas opens the year against Philadelphia on Thursday.
