Some members of the NFL community have criticized Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones for waiting until Aug. 28 to trade star pass-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round draft selections and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark after Parsons went public with a trade requeston Aug. 1.
During a Tuesday appearance on Dallas sports radio station 105.3 The Fan, Jones responded to those who believe the Cowboys should’ve done better to acquire assets for Parsons’ services that could’ve been spent during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dallas Cowboys wanted “the highest value” for Micah Parsons
“We needed this timing,” Jones explained, per Todd Archer of ESPN. “We need to be right here at the beginning of the season, in my mind, to get the highest value. I heard people talking about, ‘Why didn’t you trade him back before the draft?’ Because draft picks become the most valuable timing-wise. You have them in the offseason before the draft. That’s when the pick becomes much more valuable and the player becomes less valuable if you’re trading a player for potential picks.”
Interestingly, a report from earlier in September revealed that the Philadelphia Eagles were allegedly willing to send Dallas two first-round draft picks, a third-round choice and a fifth-round selection “among other things” in return for Parsons. However, Jones never came close to trading the 26-year-old to one of the Cowboys’ division foes. It was also previously said that Jones’ relationship with Parsons grew “frosty” amid what became a public contract standoff.
“It was nothing personal,” Jones said on Tuesday about the Parsons situation. “I told you, I liked Micah. As much as people wanted to make that of it, there was no issue regarding feelings relative to the negotiations. Certainly not on my part. It was just par for the course.”
The Packers gave Parsons a four-year, $188M contract that included $136M guaranteed as part of acquiring him from the Cowboys.
Micah Parsons trade makes upcoming Green Bay Packers-Dallas Cowboys clash more “exciting”
On Monday, Jones confirmed the Cowboys will not have any kind of video tribute for Parsons ahead of the home game against the Packers this coming Sunday evening.
“I’ve said this time and time again,” Jones added during Tuesday’s segment. “I think the world of Micah as an individual and, of course, know him well. I might say, ‘I wish him well,’ except it’s obvious I don’t this weekend in terms of Green Bay winning the game. And so, it makes for an exciting time.”
As of early Tuesday afternoon, ESPN BET had the 1-2 Cowboys as 6.5-point underdogs against the 2-1 Packers.