The Dallas Cowboys have traded three-time All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for two first-round picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark, according to ESPN's senior NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Parsons has also agreed to a four-year, $188m contract with his new team in a deal which makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Parsons was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Cowboys, and leaves the franchise with the seventh-most amount of sacks in franchise history, despite playing just 63 games for the franchise.
Packers Address Big Need
Despite the Packers’ impressive 45 sacks recorded last season (ranking 8th in the NFL), no player other than Rashan Gary (7.5 sacks) surpassed five sacks for the team. Consequently, Green Bay identified the acquisition of an edge rusher as a critical need during the offseason.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, many were surprised that the Packers waited until the fourth round to select a pass-rush specialist in Barryn Sorrell out of Texas, but the Packers evidently were not finished there.
They have answered the critics emphatically by executing one of the most significant trades in recent NFL history and acquiring a 26-year-old Parsons who, after weeks of speculation surrounding his future, remains in the NFC.
What Does Parsons Bring?
Since entering the league in 2021, Parsons has already established himself as one of the most formidable and impactful defensive players in the NFL.
He is one of only three players to have recorded 12+ sacks in at least four of the last five seasons, and only Maxx Crosby (177) of the Las Vegas Raiders has recorded more tackles than Parsons (172) since he was drafted in 2021.
After winning the coveted NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, Parsons has also been named a Pro Bowler in each of his four seasons in the league, and was given first-team All-Pro honours in both 2021 and 2022.
In Parsons, Green Bay are getting a versatile defensive piece who can line up either on the edge or as a linebacker, something defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will be eager to get his teeth sunk into.
End Of An Era In Dallas
It was only last week when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dismissed any speculation regarding Parsons' future with the Cowboys, however with the 26-year-old failing to participate in any practice this offseason and having requested a trade earlier in August, it was clear tensions between the two parties were growing.
Jones even insisted that he would be willing to place multiple franchise tags on Parsons to keep him in Dallas should a new long-term deal not be signed this season, but the trade with Green Bay signifies a sudden U-turn by Jones.
Parsons released a statement on social media after the trade was announced, saying: From the moment I arrived in Dallas, you embraced me and my family as your own. You made a kid from the east coast feel right at home in Texas. Every time I pulled up to work, every time I stepped onto that field, I felt the weight and pride of representing you. You didn't just give me a jersey, you gave me a place to belong.
"I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control. My heart has always been here, and it still is. Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract be part of the process."
He leaves the Cowboys having recorded 53.5 sacks and 172 tackles in 67 games for the franchise.
