If you’ve been living under a rock or just took a long break from NFL Twitter, you might’ve missed the earthquake that hit the league back in August 2025. It feels like a lifetime ago, but yes, the Dallas Cowboys actually did it. They traded Micah Parsons.
It wasn't just some minor roster shuffle. It was a "where were you when the notification popped up" kind of moment. Jerry Jones, the man who famously loves his stars, finally blinked.
The Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on August 28, 2025. Honestly, the timing was the weirdest part. It happened just seven days before the regular season opener. One minute he’s the face of the franchise, and the next, he’s wearing a different shade of green.
Why did the Cowboys actually trade him?
Money. It basically always comes down to the salary cap. Parsons wanted to be the highest-paid non-quarterback in the history of the sport. He wasn't kidding, either. He eventually got a four-year, $188 million extension from Green Bay with $136 million of that guaranteed.
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office looked at the books—with Dak Prescott’s massive deal and CeeDee Lamb’s contract—and realized they couldn't fit a $47 million-per-year defender into the puzzle without gutting the rest of the roster.
👉 See also: Last Match Man City: Why Newcastle Couldn't Stop the Semenyo Surge
Tensions had been building for months. Parsons had requested a trade on August 1, 2021, after contract talks went south. He "held-in," which is the trendy way of saying he showed up to mandatory stuff but didn't actually practice. By late August, the bridge wasn't just scorched; it was gone.
The Haul: What Dallas got back
You don't just give away a generational talent for a bag of chips. The Packers paid a premium. In exchange for Parsons, the Cowboys received:
- A 2026 first-round draft pick (which we now know is the 20th overall selection).
- A 2027 first-round draft pick (which Dallas later flipped in a deal for Quinnen Williams).
- Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
It was a ruthlessly pragmatic move. Dallas got a veteran interior presence in Clark and a mountain of draft capital. But man, the optics were rough. Trading a guy who had 52.5 sacks in his first four seasons is the kind of thing that haunts fanbases for decades.
How it's looking right now in 2026
Fast forward to today, January 14, 2026. The dust has settled, but the drama hasn't. Parsons had a monster year in Green Bay—at least for a while. He racked up 12.5 sacks and was named a First-Team All-Pro again.
✨ Don't miss: Cowboys Score: Why Dallas Just Can't Finish the Job When it Matters
Then, disaster struck.
In Week 15, Parsons tore his ACL against the Denver Broncos. It was a non-contact injury with less than a minute left in the third quarter. The Packers haven't won a game since it happened. They just got bounced from the playoffs by the Bears, which is why that 2026 pick Dallas owns is sitting at number 20.
Back in Arlington, the mood is... complicated. Jerry Jones is out here telling anyone with a microphone that the trade was "smart" because it allowed them to keep guys like George Pickens (who had a career year with 1,429 yards). But the Cowboys' defense struggled without that game-wrecker off the edge.
The fallout for both sides
Green Bay has their superstar, but he’s currently rehabbing a major knee surgery and hoping to be back by Week 3 or 4 of the 2026 season. They’re paying him historic money to watch from the sidelines for the next few months.
🔗 Read more: Jake Paul Mike Tyson Tattoo: What Most People Get Wrong
Dallas is sitting on two first-round picks (No. 12 and No. 20) in the upcoming April draft. They need an edge rusher desperately. There’s even chatter about them trying to trade for T.J. Watt to fill the void Parsons left behind.
Did the Cowboys win the trade? It depends on who you ask. If you're Skip Bayless, you're probably screaming that they won. if you're a fan watching the Cowboys' defense get shredded because they can't pressure the QB, you’re probably still wearing your #11 jersey and crying into your nachos.
What to watch for next
Now that the 2025 season is in the rearview mirror, the focus shifts to how Dallas uses those draft picks. They have the 12th and 20th overall selections. If they hit on a superstar edge rusher at 12, the Parsons trade looks like a masterstroke of roster management. If they whiff? It’ll be remembered as the day the Cowboys gave up on their best defensive player since DeMarcus Ware.
Keep an eye on the rehab updates coming out of Green Bay. Parsons is "flying" through his recovery, but ACLs are tricky. He’s already talking about having "unfinished business" and a lot of "built-up aggression" for the 2026 season.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Track the 2026 NFL Draft: Watch how the Cowboys utilize the 20th overall pick acquired from the Packers; this is the final "grade" on the value of the trade.
- Monitor Free Agency Cap Space: With Parsons' $47M APY off the books, look for the Cowboys to be aggressive in pursuing a veteran defensive tackle or linebacker to support Kenny Clark.
- Follow Rehab Progress: Check the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list updates for Parsons in August 2026 to see if he’s on track for his projected Week 3 return.