Cowboys' Jerry Jones clarifies claim about potential Quinnen Williams, Micah Parsons trade

Back on Nov. 28, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones raised eyebrows when he suggested he offered the New York Jets star pass-rusher Micah Parsons and a first-round draft pick in exchange for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams ahead of the season. 

During a Tuesday appearance on Dallas sports radio station 105.3 The Fan, Jones clarified the details of a trade involving the Jets that never happened. 

What Jerry Jones wanted from Jets for Micah Parsons

"I tried to make the trade by giving Micah [Parsons] to the Jets and getting Quinnen [Williams] and a [first-round draft pick] coming back to us," Jones explained, per Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys' website. "...That's what I wanted in training camp, and we couldn't get that done."

In late August, the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The Packers subsequently signed Parsons to a four-year, $188M contract that included $136M guaranteed. 

On Nov. 28, NFL insider Connor Hughes of SNY reported that "a Cowboys source told me the Jets weren’t ever going to the monetary value needed to extend Parsons." 

Meanwhile, Dallas ultimately landed Williams from the Jets ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline for a first-round pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2026 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. Williams has since been part of three Dallas victories that improved the team to 6-5-1. 

Why Jerry Jones thinks so highly of Quinnen Williams

"In my mind, Quinnen is not only just what you want in the middle, and frankly, he puts pressure there on the run and pass. But the most important thing is his football character," Jones added during the segment. "And it's outstanding. It's off the charts."

As of Tuesday afternoon, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the Cowboys just an 18.2 percent chance to make the playoffs. Jones acknowledged that the "best shot" for the Cowboys to qualify for the postseason tournament "is to win the division." 

Dallas trails the 8-4 Philadelphia Eagles in the battle for first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys next play at the Detroit Lions (7-5) this coming Thursday night. As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Dallas as a three-point road underdog against Detroit.