The Dallas Cowboys have lost some of their aggressiveness in personnel moves under Jerry Jones in recent seasons. The gambler in the owner/GM just returned in a big way with the big blockbuster trade of superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons.
The Green Bay Packers, as rumored, are the team acquiring Parsons to boost their front seven right before the start of 2025 NFL regular season. On the surface, it might seem like the Cowboys got rope-a-doped, but in reality, the Packers spent too much green — and draft capital.
Here’s breaking down the reality of Parsons going from Green Bay to Dallas.
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Micah Parsons trade winners & losers
Winner: Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have tended to give in and pay their stars to keep them happy and on the team. Credit Jones for not budging here. Dallas’ defense was set to stink at most positions around Parsons, and giving into his demands would have further stretched their spending flexibility in near-future offseasons.
Jones is already winning with the value of his franchise, and as a reasonable football man, he knows he doesn’t have all the necessary coaching and talent to end his Super Bowl drought at the moment. It wasn’t exactly the Herschel Walker trade, but Jones finally got into his “gambler” spirit again of shaking things up and trying to push forward a reboot with two first-round picks.
The Cowboys won’t win the NFC or maybe not even make the playoffs until they can complete investments in their offensive line, defensive front, and secondary. With Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Jake Ferguson, they have their pricey offensive skill corps. When there’s shoring up at the other positions, the Cowboys can go back to competing at a high level again.
Jones got the picks and also kept $188 million over four years and $120 million guaranteed money, which was what Parsons got from Green Bay to become the richest non-QB in NFL history. For what he could do to help the team short-term, Parsons was overrated and wasn’t worth Jones giving into that cost.
MORE MICAH PARSONS TRADE:
Winner: Micah Parsons
Parsons gets his small fortune by getting out of Dallas. Good for him to catch in during his prime. It’s not his fault that he has a great agent who sold his value well to get his mega deal in Green Bay.
Loser: Kenny Clark
Clark, a long-time Packers stalwart on the defensive line, doesn’t get to stay in Green Bay to finish his career. Now, he’ll play up front for a non-playoff-caliber team with a shaky defense.
Losers: Green Bay Packers
The Packers have invested plenty in their front seven with limited winning results. High picks such as Rashan Gary, Devonte Wyatt, and Quay Walker have been solid, but Parsons now gives them a spectacular pass rusher. The problem is, set to line up at right defensive end, Parsons doesn’t give them much vs. the run or in coverage. Parsons can help pressure QBs, but there are still major cornerback issues. For how much Parsons was paid, he’s not built to be a DPOY.
Winners: Edge rushers
This is definitely the non-QB position of choice in the NFL, even with wide receiver salaries escalating. Passers and guys who go after passers dictate most of the action in this league. If Parsons can get that, every future free-agent elite sack artist should be thrilled about the salary potential soon.
Loser: The true NFC contenders
The Cowboys and Packers are trying to get into the echelon of the Eagles, Lions, Commanders, Buccaneers, Rams, and now healthy 49ers. But Parsons has really just moved from one .500-hovering team to another. Don’t be fooled by the big name of either franchise, and don’t be surprised if the Packers join the Cowboys in missing the playoffs behind those six teams and another surprise.
Had Parsons gone to one of those better teams, it would have provided a huge edge. Now, it’s just the Cowboys gaining and the Packers losing, despite it looking like the other way around with the mutual “mid” feeling of it all.
