Cowboys surprise NFL fans by trading Micah Parsons to Packers in mega deal

The easiest way to jolt a stale, drawn-out drama is to drop a bombshell at the finale. 

After months of teasing and dangling the possibility of moving Micah Parsons, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys finally pulled the trigger on a stunning twist Thursday, sending their superstar pass rusher to the Green Bay Packers.

The deal is official: the Cowboys are parting ways with All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, sending him to the Green Bay Packers for a haul that includes first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 along with three-time Pro Bowler Kenny Clark.

Once he lands in Green Bay, Parsons is set to ink a blockbuster four-year contract worth $188 million, with $136 million guaranteed. The deal averages $47 million annually, making him the richest non-quarterback in league history.

The shocking blockbuster deal marks the end of a relationship between Micah Parsons and the Cowboys that, not long ago, felt unbreakable. Even with contract talks turning toxic and playing out in the spotlight, few believed Dallas would ever pull the trigger on moving their defensive superstar. After all, teams simply don’t let a generational talent walk out the door—especially one who just turned 26 and is only now stepping into his prime.

That’s what makes this move so wild. For the Packers, it’s not just about acquiring what Parsons already is—it’s about gambling that an even greater version of the All-Pro pass rusher is still to come. And for a franchise that historically clings to its draft capital, giving up two first-rounders shows just how desperate Green Bay has been to find the game-changing defensive anchor it’s lacked for years.

From Dallas’ perspective, the decision reeks of financial reality as much as anything else. With Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb already cashing in and Parsons due a record-shattering payday of his own, the Cowboys clearly reached their breaking point. Rather than drag negotiations into another stalemate, Jerry Jones and company chose to cash out while the market was hot, securing the biggest offer on the table before the sun set on the day.

Now Parsons is gone, headed north to Green Bay, and the Cowboys are left staring at a massive void in the heart of their defense.

Dallas will lean on a patchwork group of edge rushers—Dante Fowler Jr., Marshawn Kneeland, Sam Williams, rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku, and James Houston—a collection that has tallied just 73 career sacks combined. For context, Parsons alone racked up no fewer than 12 sacks in each of his first four seasons.

That production is exactly what Green Bay has been missing. The Packers haven’t had a single player hit double-digit sacks since Za’Darius Smith put up 12.5 back in 2020. Their current top threat, former first-rounder Rashan Gary, led the team with 7.5 sacks last season and has yet to crack the 10-sack mark in his career, topping out at 9.5.

In short: Dallas loses its most reliable defensive playmaker, while Green Bay finally lands the type of pass-rushing star it has been chasing for years.