'Poison pill': Condition in Micah Parsons trade should prevent his return to NFC East for time being

The Dallas Cowboys never want to face star Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons twice a year, and they may have found a way to prevent that from happening ... for now.

In August, the Cowboys dealt Parsons to the Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks (2026 and 2027). In a story published Sunday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed the trade included a condition to keep the star pass-rusher out of the NFC East. 

Cowboys included "poison pill" in Micah Parsons trade

The "poison pill" stipulates that if the Packers trade Parsons to an NFC East team (Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders or New York Giants), they will owe them their 2028 first-round pick. The same condition applies to Clark. If Dallas traded him to an NFC North team (Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings or Detroit Lions), it would owe Green Bay its 2028 first-round pick. 

Dallas clearly included this to prevent Parsons from landing with the Eagles. Philadelphia reportedly pursued the four-time Pro Bowler before the Cowboys traded him to the Packers. Dallas, of course, had no interest in sending him to the defending Super Bowl champions.  

Don't expect Parsons — who signed a four-year, $188M contract extension with the Packers after the trade — to leave Green Bay anytime soon. The team is certainly pleased to have the 26-year-old defensive star, who ranked 10th in the league in sacks (6.5) through the first nine weeks of the season.

Philadelphia, though, looks just fine without Parsons. Heading into their road matchup against the Packers (5-2-1) on "Monday Night Football," the Eagles (6-2) are first in the NFC East and have won two of their last three games.

Still, if the Cowboys went to that effort to ensure Parsons remained out of their division, why did they trade him? Their defense would be much better if they kept him. Through the first nine weeks of the season, the unit ranked second to last in the league in points allowed (30.8).