Well, it actually happened.
It’s a move that seemed unthinkable just weeks ago, especially when Parsons first requested a trade on August 1st amid a contract dispute with Jerry Jones.
My Initial Thoughts
As I was driving to work on Friday afternoon, I got the notification from Ian Rapoport: Micah Parsons had been traded. I was truly in awe.
Up until that moment, I was about 90% sure the Cowboys would announce an extension just a week before kickoff, similar to how they handled contract situations with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott last year. But I was wrong.
In my opinion, this was a massive mistake by the Cowboys’ front office, not just in how the situation was handled, but also in the return they got for one of the league’s most dominant defensive players.
Parsons, the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has done nothing but elevate what has often been a shaky Cowboys defense over the past four seasons. At times, he was the lone bright spot, a true defensive game-changer.
I’m confident Micah Parsons is on a Hall of Fame trajectory, and players like that don’t just come out of thin air. When you have homegrown talent who embraces Dallas and loves playing for the Star, you simply don’t let them walk.
What makes this even more painful is where he ended up. The Cowboys sent him to Green Bay, a franchise that has repeatedly crushed Dallas’ Super Bowl hopes in recent memory, most notably in 2014, 2016, and again in 2023.
It’s honestly mind-boggling that Jerry Jones would approve sending Parsons to an NFC rival. And to a team that’s haunted your postseason dreams for over a decade.
That’s a move that’s hard to justify.
Now, the Compensation.
Two first-round picks and a 30-year-old Kenny Clark simply aren’t enough for the kind of generational talent the Cowboys just let leave the building.
Clark is also coming off the worst season of his career, posting a 63.1 pass-rush grade according to Pro Football Focus. Even more concerning: he’s never recorded a single season with a run-defense grade above 61.5. For a player expected to help in the run game, those numbers don’t inspire much confidence.
Don’t get me wrong, they definitely needed more defensive tackle depth, especially with Mazi Smith being an absolute disappointment. But to me, that doesn’t come close to justifying what they gave up.
And then there’s the hope that those first-round picks, likely landing in the 20s given Green Bay’s playoff expectations, will even come close to matching half of what Micah Parsons has produced in just four seasons.
Now that the trade has been official for about 24 hours, I’m starting to get a sense of what Dallas is trying to do, kind of.
After Sleeping on It
First and foremost, I believe this situation boiled down to much more than just money at the end of the day.
There were numerous reports that Jerry Jones initially offered Parsons a five-year deal worth $40.5 million per year, totaling $202.5 million, which Parsons was reportedly fine with. But then his agent, David Mulugheta, stepped in and pushed for a four-year deal at $47 million per year.
But when you break it down, Parsons will actually make only about $900,000 more over the life of the deal, thanks to Wisconsin’s state income tax, which Texas doesn’t have.
That detail just makes the whole situation even funnier.
But forget the money aspect, I think a big part of why Parsons got traded comes down to how he’s handled himself in Dallas.
Allegedly, the decision to let Parsons walk was unanimous among the coaching staff and front office. That’s an extremely telling sign that he may not have been a fan favorite behind the scenes, possibly due to his attitude.
For one, Parsons claimed he was willing to take less money to help the team add more talent and build a winning roster. But once he requested a trade, obviously, that wasn’t true.
Second, Parsons’ podcast and social media presence, especially during losing streaks, have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, and understandably so.
Third, the final tipping point may have been Parsons lying on the trainers’ table during the Cowboys’ last preseason game at home, showing a lack of leadership and respect.
His back was clearly never a serious issue, more like an excuse to sit out during the final year of his contract. After the trade news broke, he was seen jumping around his house.
I understand where both sides are coming from, not that I necessarily agree with either, but I can see the vision the Cowboys have moving forward.
This situation has become a major distraction, no matter what players say, you want your All-Pro teammate out there on the field with you.
So, in the end, the ties were cut.
Clear Rebuild in Dallas?
Even with Parsons rushing off the edge, it was unlikely the Cowboys would be serious Super Bowl contenders in 2025. But now, without him, it’s clear Dallas is shifting its focus toward gearing up for the future.
Four first-round picks over the next two seasons give Dallas the chance to add top talent on rookie deals, helping them chase a championship while managing the salary cap.
Or, those draft picks could be used as trade capital to acquire top-tier veterans, helping the Cowboys aim for a win sooner rather than later.
Regardless, freeing up $47 million per year over the next four seasons gives Dallas the flexibility to maximize their roster and extend key players like Tyler Smith, Daron Bland, and potentially George Pickens.
When you look at it that way, the move makes plenty of sense. But for me, it still doesn’t justify trading away a future Hall of Famer.
Especially when so many other teams perform salary cap gymnastics to make these deals work, and with the cap increasing every season, it feels even harder to be fine with.
BUT if a deal had been reached last offseason, or even early this March, before TJ Watt and Myles Garrett signed their record-breaking extensions, Dallas could’ve saved money and kept their star.
Final thoughts
Trades like this, especially involving stars, with Khalil Mack’s move being one of the few recent examples, remind us that the NFL can be a cruel business.
And history shows it rarely works out well for the teams that trade away their top stars, so there’s that, too.
Before the trade, imagining Micah Parsons still in a Cowboys uniform, I thought Dallas would finish 10-7 and secure a Wild Card spot.
Now, I’m not so sure. Other pass rushers will have to step up, and in a big way, but I just don’t see anyone filling the huge production gap Parsons leaves behind.
Vegas currently has the Cowboys’ win total set at 7.5, and I’d probably still take the over, thanks to Prescott, Lamb, and Pickens. That trio is going to be deadly on offense.
This team could end up looking a lot like the 2024 Cincinnati Bengals, loaded with passing yards and an explosive offense, but struggling to stop a soul on defense.
I wish Parsons nothing but the best in Green Bay. While I certainly won’t root for their success, I hope he continues to dominate on the field.
Of course, we’ll see Parsons back in Dallas for Week 4 on Sunday Night Football, an upcoming game I’m sure no Cowboys fan is looking forward to.
But hey, it’s less than a week until Dallas Cowboys football. Should be interesting, right?
For more NFL content, follow me on Twitter @MontaltoJared, on TikTok @JarSportsTakes, and YouTube @JarSportsTakes.
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