Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones meets with outside linebacker Micah Parsons (11) prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Kevin Jairaj
You have to give Jerry Jones credit: He's done about as good of a job of keeping the Dallas Cowboys at the forefront of the conversation as an owner of a team that hasn't played in the NFC Championship Game since Bill Clinton was president could do.
The latest example is after a standoff with Micah Parsons, Jones — who still operates as the general manager of the team — has traded the do-it-all defender to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
On the way in the door, Parsons signed a lucrative contract that he was unable to get from Jones in Dallas:
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
Full trade, per sources:
🏈Cowboys get DT Kenny Clark and two first-round picks
🏈Packers get Micah Parsons. https://t.co/wf08foG94N pic.twitter.com/Ited61UBvO
There will be those who try to spin this as smart business for the Cowboys. But the reality is they gave up a 26-year-old defender that's already a two-time All-Pro. Parsons had a staggering 52 1/2 sacks over his four seasons in Dallas. This is a player at the height of his powers that the Cowboys used a first-round pick on. He's about as good of a No. 12 pick as you'll ever see, and the Cowboys bungled it. And if you're counter to that would be to say that Jones knew the Cowboys weren't going to win this season, remind yourself who you're dealing with.
Dallas did recoup two first-round picks for their troubles, although with Parsons joining the Packers, those selections will likely be between 20 and 32. Kenny Clark is a three-time Pro Bowler, but he's 29 years old and per Spotrac, the Cowboys could get out of his deal after this year without taking on any dead cap money. So it's entirely possible Clark is only a Cowboy for a season.
Regardless, this is the latest evidence of an owner who is going to turn 83 years old in October, and is still operating like it's 1995.
Parsons actually could have made a stink last year, because players are eligible for their second contract after their third NFL seasons. But with Dallas playing a similar game with both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb — both of whom ended up getting more money than if Dallas had been aggressive and signed them early on — Parsons waited his turn.
He didn't hold out this offseason like Lamb, Ezekiel Elliott and Emmitt Smith have successfully done during contract disputes with Jones in the past. He basically held in.
Essentially, where this went off the rails was that Jones and Parsons discussed a contract during the offseason without the representation of the four-time Pro Bowler present. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday afternoon that Jones "believes the Cowboys had an agreement with Parsons on a five-year extension that averaged $40.5 million per season." The problem is, you're not allowed to do that when a player has an agent. Even if it's true that Jones and Parsons had come to some sort of understanding at one point, you can't just go around agent David Mulugheta. Also, whether Parsons may have had a handshake deal with Jones at some point, he never signed it. And Jones wasn't willing to even speak with Mulugheta.
Parsons requested a trade earlier this month in a social media post, saying in part that "unfortunately, I no longer want to be here. I no longer want to be held to closed-door negotiations without my agent present."
Thank you Dallas 🦁👑 🙏🏾! I pic.twitter.com/EUnEj9uRUt
In recent years, everyone from Lamar Jackson to Myles Garrett to Terry McLaurin have made public trade requests, only to eventually get their desired contract with their original employer. That seemed likely to be what played out with Parsons and the Cowboys.
Instead, the Cowboys traded away a Hall of Fame-level player at the height of his powers to prove that Jones is still in control. They'll be on the first segment of "First Take" tomorrow, so that's a feather in the cap of Jones. They'll also be at Lincoln Financial Field next Thursday for the NFL season-opener as the Eagles raise their second Super Bowl banner. It's fair to wonder which one matters more to Jones.
