One of the most jaw-dropping trades in NFL history was completed on Thursday afternoon.
Months into a public contract dispute with owner Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys traded future Hall of Fame pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark, and 2026 and 2027 first-round selections. The Packers then signed Parsons to a historic four-year, $188 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the game.
The stunning Parsons trade has everyone reminiscing on the bigger transactions in recent memory.
The New York Jets were on the receiving end in 2020 when they dealt safety Jamal Adams, along with a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for safety Bradley McDougald, first- and third-round picks in the 2021 NFL draft, and a first-round selection in 2022.
Former Jets general manager Joe Douglas wasn’t perfect, but the Adams trade was a massive victory for his regime. Analyzing the Parsons trade, the Cowboys also got two first-round selections and a veteran defender. It’s incredible Douglas received similar (or better) compensation five years ago in exchange for a strong safety.
And to think, the Jets got two 1s for Jamal Adams … a strong safety. Joe Douglas’ finest moment. https://t.co/FkRNxDtjoN
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) August 28, 2025
Knowing the complete details of the Adams trade makes it look even better for Douglas. Douglas used those selections on Garrett Wilson and Alijah Vera-Tucker (using the third-round pick to move up for Vera-Tucker). Wilson and AVT remain high-end players for the Jets heading into 2025.
It’s incredible the Cowboys couldn’t get more for Parsons than Douglas got for a non-premium position player five years ago.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Micah Parsons trade makes ex-Jets GM Joe Douglas look even more genius