On Thursday, Micah Parsons broke the internet. The Dallas Cowboys traded their star EDGE pass rusher to the Green Bay Packers for Kenny Clark and a pair of first-round picks. For Parsons, it is a chance to start over on a shiny new contract the Cowboys weren't willing to give him. This comes after an offseason full of drama, all of which finally ended when Jerry Jones accepted the Packers offer.
The Parsons trade isn't the only NFL news from the past week, but he is the most impactful player traded in quite some time. The addition of Micah alone makes the Packers a real NFC North contender, and a sleeper pick to win the division over the likes of the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
While Parsons may be in Green Bay, the fallout from the trade continues. Parsons agent, David Mulugheta, appeared on First Take Tuesday morning to discuss it in detail. Sources from both Parsons' side of the aisle and the Cowboys threw haymakers over the weekend, claiming Micah made enemies on the Cowboys roster. Parsons denied this, along with reports on Tuesday morning that he approached Jones about an extension months ago.
Why didn't the Patriots trade for Micah Parsons?
New England Patriots executive Eliot Wolf told fans in August that the team was open to trading top draft capital for an impact player. One would expect Parsons to be that sort of player, especially since the Patriots pass rush is lacking. However, New England didn't make Dallas a good enough offer to turn heads. Head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about the Patriots perceived lack of interest in Parsons on WEEI radio in Boston, and discussed how the team values building through the NFL Draft.
"(It) wasn’t something that we really invested a lot of time or resources in," Vrabel said. “We have to build some depth there to this roster, and you do that from the draft.”
Vrabel was then asked if the team's recent draft classes – which for the most part have been lacking – made him second-guess his strategy.
“No,” Vrabel said. “I’m just saying that when we build this thing, and moving forward, we want to build it and make sure that we’re building through the draft. And then again, like I said, retaining the players that we feel like have developed and have earned contracts. And while Micah Parsons is a great player, just probably wasn’t the best fit or the right time, I think, for us.”
If now – when Drake Maye is on a rookie contract and a young team is finally starting to take some strides – isn't the right time, I'm not sure when is.
A bumpy road ahead for Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers
When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers, they did so with the hopes of winning their first playoff game in nearly a decade. Nothing short of that result will help this season become a success story. Rodgers is at the end of his career, offers limited mobility and prefers short drops the extending plays. The flair that once made him must-see television is all but gone, but the Steelers are banking he can be the brains of this operation.
The Steelers open the season against the New York Jets. It's a revenge game for both quarterbacks, as Justin Fields played for Pittsburgh last season and was in the mix to return at once point this offseason. Rodgers, of course, was a Jet in 2024. As much as Rodgers would love to notch a win against his former team on Sunday, Jeff Howe of The Athletic doesn't expect the Steelers offense to come natural to the future Hall of Famer.
"Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has added a level of accountability on the practice field and in the facility, according to sources around the team. The offense appears to still be working through some things, as there’s been a lot of turnover at key positions, but Rodgers has been intentional about teaching as much as possible after each play. Don’t be shocked if it’s bumpy out of the gate. However, it’s fair to be cautiously optimistic that Rodgers, wideout DK Metcalf and company will eventually find their rhythm," Howe wrote.
A slow start can be afforded against a team like the Jets, especially if the Steelers defense plays up to par. However, it should not come with concern of Rodgers fit altogether.
What other teams almost traded for Micah Parsons?
Dallas traded Parsons to Green Bay in part because they were able to get a deal done with him prior to the move. The Packers have two other Mulugheta clients in Jordan Love and Xavier McKinney, so there was plenty of familiarity between both parties. Unlike in Dallas, Mulugheta made sure he was present to speak on his client's behalf for a new contract. Everything was done above board and by the books. However, had the Packers failed to trade for Parsons (for whatever reason), there were several other interested parties, per ESPN.
"Had the deal fallen apart, at least three other teams were interested, and the Cowboys would not have traded Parsons within the division. One team told ESPN it wasn't interested because it felt the price was too high for a player who might turn out to be a headache. Another believed Dallas wouldn't trade Parsons until next spring and indicated they might be interested then," Jeremy Fowler and Don Van Natta Jr. wrote.
One of those teams, per Fowler, was the Carolina Panthers. However, the Panthers refused to give up defensive lineman Derrick Brown and multiple firsts for Parsons, which ruined any further conversations. The Packers were long the most serious suitor for Parsons, and they eventually got their man when the relationship between player and front office became unsalvageable.