Cowboys trading Micah Parsons to Packers DL Kenny Clark; All-Pro DE signing $188 million deal

The Dallas Cowboys have pulled off a stunning blockbuster, trading All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks. The move instantly reshapes both franchises just one week before the start of the 2025 regular season.

Upon joining the Packers, Parsons is set to sign a four-year, $188 million extension with $136 million guaranteed. The deal makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history, averaging $47 million annually.

The decision ends a months-long standoff between Parsons and Dallas that had spiraled into a public dispute. Known for his refusal to cave in high-profile negotiations, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones ultimately chose to part ways with the team’s most dominant player rather than meet contract demands. The approach echoes his history of bold, controversial moves—most famously the Herschel Walker trade of 1989.

Parsons leaves behind an incredible four-year stretch in Dallas, where he became one of the NFL’s most feared defenders. He produced 52.5 sacks, 256 tackles, nine forced fumbles, nine passes defensed, and four fumble recoveries. He also earned All-Pro recognition twice and three consecutive finalist nods for Defensive Player of the Year. Few defenders in league history have matched his immediate impact.

For Dallas, the trade signals a puzzling shift in direction under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Losing Parsons leaves a gaping hole in a defense designed around his game-wrecking ability, though Clark’s arrival at defensive tackle provides much-needed interior strength. Clark, a three-time Pro Bowler, is expected to stabilize a unit that has struggled to find reliable production from recent first-round pick Mazi Smith.

Meanwhile, the Packers add one of football’s rare defensive superstars to a roster hungry for consistency in its pass rush. Green Bay finished just 20th in pressure rate last season, and while Rashan Gary has been their top threat, he lacked a dominant partner. With Parsons now in the fold, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley gains a generational weapon who instantly elevates expectations for the unit.

The trade also marks yet another reshuffling of the edge rusher market in 2025, a year that has already produced new deals for Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, and T.J. Watt, as well as a pay raise for Trey Hendrickson. Parsons’ extension resets the market once again, cementing his place as the most valuable defender in football entering his prime.

Both teams take bold steps with this deal: Dallas gains draft flexibility and a proven veteran presence in Clark, while Green Bay bets big on Parsons as the cornerstone of a championship-caliber defense. For the Packers, the gamble is clear—Parsons isn’t just a complementary piece; he’s the centerpiece of a unit built to dominate.