Jerry Jones’ decision to trade his premier pass rusher, Micah Parsons, fractured both headlines and his fan base. All the more because he exchanged his star linebacker for a pair of consecutive first-round picks and the services of Kenny Clark from the Green Bay Packers.
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Dallas fans have been irate ever since the deal was announced. The media also echoed that sentiment with its own questions.
However, Jones does have at least one voice standing with him in sports media. And it’s ironically coming from someone who used to be one of his biggest critics: Skip Bayless, the former flagship personality of Fox Sports.
Bayless is one of the few media personalities who have suggested that it was Jones who won the trade. Wholeheartedly agreeing with the GM’s assertion that Parsons was not serviceable against the run, the former Undisputed host asserted that “Micah Parsons had become a liability.”
Citing various performances from the 2024 season, the lifelong Cowboys fan just doesn’t believe that the pass rusher was worth the hassle in the end. “With Micah on the field, the Eagles ran for 187 yards and won 34-6 at Jerry World. Then the Eagles ran for 179 yards in a 41-7 wipeout in Philly. Remember those?” Bayless asked, before adding more instances.
“New Orleans ran for 197 yards at Jerry World. It was 35-16 at halftime. Then came Baltimore, running for 274 yards, just again and again at Micah,” Skip added.
The fact that Kenny Clark, a three-time Pro Bowler, will still be on hand for Dallas makes Bayless confident enough to suggest that Parsons will not be missed come Thursday night when the Cowboys renew their divisional rivalry with the Philadelphia Eagles on their banner night.
Jones was more than capable of granting Parsons the benchmark contract extension that he had been seeking. But their negotiations seemed to become more about the ‘principle’ of the situation rather than anything else. After all, the Cowboys were sporting more cap space than the Packers were prior to the deal.
Bayless seems to believe as much after noting that “Jerry Jones questioned Micah Parsons’ leadership, lack thereof.” In the end, however, the Packers clearly didn’t have those worries.
The NFC North’s perennial contenders were more than happy to grant the two-time All-Pro DE a four-year $188-million contract extension upon his arrival. Parsons figures to be an immediate difference maker for what is currently the youngest roster in the league.
Green Bay’s pockets may be a little bit tighter than usual for the next two seasons. It’s clear that they fancy their chances of dethroning the Detroit Lions to claim their first divisional crown since 2021. At this point in time, the only thing left in question is the availability of Parsons for Week 1, as an L4/L5 facet sprain has led to some last-minute concerns.
