It’s still hard to believe Jerry Jones did it. The longtime Dallas Cowboys owner decided he’d had enough of contract negotiations with star edge rusher Micah Parsons last week. Rather than debate numbers any longer, Jones traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, receiving first-round picks in each of the next two NFL Drafts and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
Matt LeFleur’s team wasn’t the only interested party. Let’s take a deep dive into what other teams might’ve had their hat in the ring and what they were willing to give up in order to get the two-time first-team Associated Press All-Pro.
Philadelphia Eagles
Typically, teams don't prefer to do business within their own division, especially when it would mean sending one of the brightest young stars in the league to a rival. That didn't keep Eagles general manager Howie Roseman from trying.
It's safe to say Philadelphia would've had to pay a hefty price to add Parsons to their already vaunted defense, which topped the NFL in yards allowed last season. The only swap in recent history that compares to Parsons' would be when the Raiders sent Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears in 2018. It took Matt Nagy's team a pair of first-round picks and a third- and sixth-rounder to net Mack, who was at that point a two-time first-team AP All-Pro and the 2016 AP Defensive Player of the Year.
To even think about handing Parsons over to a team his crew sees twice a year, the Cowboys would’ve had to have three first-rounders on the table. But, the package wouldn’t have stopped there, not if Dallas is really out to compete this season.
The Cowboys had the fourth-worst run defense in the league last season. It was the fifth-worst unit overall. Davis, listed at 6-foot-6 and 336 pounds, would’ve been the piece that could’ve helped Dallas now instead of in the future, much like Kenny Clark is in the trade that actually happened.
Imagine the buzz that would’ve been around Thursday’s regular-season opener had Jones saw it fit to negotiate with Philly.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers’ proposal would’ve better resembled Mack’s move to the Windy City. Carolina hasn’t been a contender since Cam Newton was behind center. It hasn’t reached the postseason since 2017 and has gone 7-27 over the past two go-rounds.
Parsons would’ve been the biggest building block for Carolina’s defense since Luke Kuechly, who walked away from the game in 2019. That unit hasn’t ranked in the top half of the league in points allowed in eight years. It ranked dead last in that category a season ago, as well as yards allowed.
It’s unlikely they would’ve been willing to part with another first-rounder, being that they gave up a good bit of draft capital to trade up for quarterback Bryce Young in 2023.
Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay’s Rams could’ve afforded to send a first-rounder in next year’s draft without moving out of the round entirely. The Atlanta Falcons were desperate enough to give theirs up to grab James Pearce Jr. this past draft, giving Los Angeles some wiggle room.
General manager Les Snead hasn’t been averse to offloading picks for talent in the past. He won a Super Bowl in large part because of that approach, and was rumored to be in the mix to bring Jalen Ramsey back before the outspoken defensive back landed in Pittsburgh this offseason. It’s hard to imagine he didn’t kick the tires on Parsons.
However, with the revelation that 2024 first-round pick Jared Verse has been — he appears to be a staple of the Rams’ defense for the foreseeable future — adding Parsons wasn’t a mandatory move. Verse won the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award last season, totaling 66 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 18 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and another two recoveries. He also notched 4.5 sacks.
Fiske would’ve added to the Cowboys’ front, but if Snead did pick up the phone, he didn’t do so feeling that he must bring in Parsons no matter the cost. The combination of Verse and Parsons would’ve made McVay’s team a force to reckon with in what feels like the twilight of Matthew Stafford’s career — another reason Los Angeles would want to keep its picks.