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Cowboys chose Packers as Micah Parsons trade partner over major NFC rival, report says
Former Micah Parsons teammate blasts Jerry Jones after blockbuster trade 1 Nov 5, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back D’Andre Swift (0) is tackled by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) and Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2) at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Green Bay Packers pulled off a homerun of a deal to land Micah Parsons from the Cowboys. According to reports from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, they could have had to fend off a top NFC rival, but Dallas shut those trade talks down. Sorry, Eagles. Parsons is a Packer.

Packers benefit from Eagles’ spurning in potential Parsons trade

“One team that made a strong play this summer to try to trade for All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons was none other than the Philadelphia Eagles, per league sources,” Schefter tweeted. “… But the Cowboys had no interest in trading Parsons in the division, especially to the defending Super-Bowl champion Eagles, whom they open with tonight.”

Had a deal gone down, Parsons would have returned to the state where he spent his college career with the Nittany Lions. Parsons’ agent referenced his pride in wearing the Penn State “blue and white” in an earlier statement claiming he never wanted to leave Dallas.

In his report, Shefter does not include any details on what kind of offer the Eagles had on the table for Parsons. The rest of the language suggests that the Cowboys essentially viewed a trade to Philadelphia as a non-starter in principle.


Cowboys chose Packers as Micah Parsons trade partner over major NFC rival, report says 3 Aug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Could they have gotten more from the Eagles or another team than the package from Green Bay? For Parsons, the Packers sent out Kenny Clark, an All-Pro but aging defensive tackle, a 2026 first-rounder, and a 2027 first-rounder, neither of which should be any higher than the mid to late twenties at best. Not exactly a haul for the 26-year-old stud who has made the Pro Bowl every season of his career. From the Cowboys’ perspective, analyst Mina Kimes called the transaction so ridiculous as to be “indefensible.”


Former Micah Parsons teammate blasts Jerry Jones after blockbuster trade 2 Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones meets with outside linebacker Micah Parsons (11) prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

That Parsons was revealed to be dealing with legitimate back injuries caused some small dismay among Packers fans, but that does not change the fact that Green Bay got him at a no-brainer cost. Hopefully Parsons’ back issues are a temporary ailment, rather than a lingering one, that can be sufficiently treated for him to suit up on Sunday for a marquee division clash against the Lions.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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