Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The Dallas Cowboys traded superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday in a deal that will reportedly make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
“We have completed a trade to receive a 2026 first-round (draft) pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and Pro Bowler (defensive tackle) Kenny Clark from the Packers in exchange for Micah Parsons,” the Cowboys said in a brief statement that belied the drama surrounding Parsons’ falling out with the team. ESPN reported that Parsons had agreed to a four-year, $188 million contract with Green Bay that includes $120 million fully guaranteed at signing and $136 million in total guarantees.
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Parsons released a statement on social media on Thursday thanking Dallas fans, who have watched in dismay as the Cowboys failed to come to terms with him during the pre-season. “I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control,” Parsons wrote. “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.”
The Cowboys selected Parsons in the first round of the 2021 draft, and as recently as December, Parsons voiced his desire to stay with the club. He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons, and he and Hall of Famer Reggie White are the only two NFL players to record at least 12 quarterback sacks in each of their first four campaigns.
Before training camp began, it was widely expected that the Cowboys would re-sign Parsons, but in July, Parsons voiced frustration that it was taking so long to get a deal done, and in August he asked for a trade. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who reportedly thought he had a handshake deal with Parsons back in March, had indicated the team wouldn’t trade their defensive star, but backtracked with just one week remaining before the start of the 2025 season.
Parsons had not been shy about making his frustration with the lack of a deal plain. He attended training camp but did not fully participate in practice, claiming in June he was suffering from a tight back. The Cowboys said this week he had been medically cleared to play. But coach Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged on Tuesday that he’d had no assurance from Parsons that he would be ready to play when the Cowboys host the Super Bowl champion Eagles in the 2025 season opener on September 4.
Green Bay are on the road in week one, playing the Lions in Detroit on September 7.
© 2024 AFP
