Brian Gutekunst isn’t messing around.
The Green Bay Packers general manager sent shockwaves through the NFL on Thursday afternoon, acquiring Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons in a blockbuster trade involving multiple first-round picks and a former Pro Bowler. Parsons, who had been seeking out a new contract all offseason, agreed to a four-year, $188 million contract that will keep him in Green Bay through 2029.
In exchange for the two-time first-team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler, the Packers sent the Cowboys two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Clark is a three-time Pro Bowler in his own right, but is set to turn 30 in October and is coming off a down year in which he recorded just one sack and logged his fewest tackles since his rookie season.
In four NFL seasons, Parsons has already produced 52.5 sacks. He is the only player in history to record at least 12 sacks in each of his first four seasons, a feat previously only accomplished by Reggie White. According to Pro Football Focus, he is first among all edge defenders with a career pressure rate of 19.8% since 2021. He also has the third most pressures in the league during that span, with 210 recorded pressures. Additionally, he has forced nine fumbles in his career to go along with 63 tackles for loss and 112 quarterback hits.
Parsons is a Hall of Famer-caliber player who joins an already strong defense that finished fourth in takeaways, fifth in total defense, and sixth in scoring defense in 2024 under Jeff Hafley. Hafley is perhaps the biggest winner in all of this. After doing a bang-up job in his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator, he just acquired one of the best pass rushers in the league.
Parsons, 26, is in the prime of his career and joins a talented defense that features 2024 first-team All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney, 2024 Pro Bowl defensive end Rashan Gary, and an up-and-coming linebacker in Edgerrin Cooper.
Yet, despite having a top-5 defense, the Packers’ pass rush struggled when only sending four rushers last season. Parsons will provide a significant boost in this area, bringing a true game-wrecking presence.
Another important aspect of Parsons’ skill set is his versatility. He possesses the unique ability to play off-ball linebacker in addition to defensive end, which will allow Hafley to be even more creative and effective with his defensive looks.
Of course, all this isn’t to say Clark won’t be missed. The 2016 first-round pick has anchored the team’s defensive line for the past eight seasons and was one of the most respected players in the locker room.
Clark’s departure means Green Bay now has a significant gap to fill at defensive tackle. It will be up to former first-round pick Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, rookie draft pick Warren Brinson, and undrafted rookie Nazir Stackhouse to hold down the interior, but that’s hardly something to be concerned about at the moment.
The Packers were already a playoff team entering the 2025 season. With Parsons, they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year and beyond.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Initial reaction to Packers trading for All-Pro DE Micah Parsons