After months of unresolved contract disagreements with the Dallas Cowboys, which even led Parsons to sit out training camp and issue a public trade request, the inevitable happened. On August 28, 2025, the Cowboys traded the All-Pro linebacker to Green Bay in exchange for two first-round draft selections and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
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Claim: With his new contract with the Packers, Micah Parsons is now the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. So, is that actually true?
Verdict: According to Adam Schefter, Parsons agreed to a massive four-year, $188 million contract, with $136 million guaranteed, upon being traded to Green Bay, amounting to $47 million per year, which tops every non-quarterback in the league. He now surpasses T.J. Watt’s $41 million/year deal as the highest average salary for any non-QB.
ESPN Sources: Cowboys are trading three-time All-Pro LB Micah Packers to the Green Bay Packers.
Parsons and the Packers already have reached agreement on a four-year, $188 million contract. @DavidMulugheta of @Athletesfirst had a hand in the trade and ultimately negotiating the… pic.twitter.com/Hznxabll0P
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 28, 2025
Parsons and the Cowboys once looked like a storybook pairing. Despite being a Pennsylvania native, the All-Pro openly rooted for Dallas growing up and called it his “dream” to suit up for the franchise. Selected 12th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, he seemed destined to anchor their defense for years. But then the picture-perfect relationship unraveled.
Entering his fifth year in the NFL, Parsons was still locked into his rookie contract, a situation that had become increasingly untenable given his production and status as one of the league’s most dominant defenders. The linebacker made it clear he wanted a new deal that reflected his value, and tensions boiled over when, on August 1, he issued a public trade request.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was quick to push back, stating that the team had no intention of moving on from Parsons. Jones revealed that he and Parsons had met personally during the offseason, and the two sides had agreed in principle to a new contract, one reportedly valued at around $40.5 million annually. As it turns out, though, Parsons’ agent was not part of this conversation.
“I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control. 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,” Parsons wrote in his farewell message.
So, despite those assurances from Jones, negotiations soon soured. Disagreements over guaranteed money and structure left the deal unresolved, fueling frustration for Parsons and opening the door for the eventual blockbuster trade that sent him to Green Bay.
Now, Parsons will be playing for an NFC rival and making $47 million a year. Parsons instantly upgrades a defense in need of an elite pass rusher. His presence may just shift Green Bay from contenders to true favorites. He will now face his former team in a primetime Week 4 showdown.
