The Green Bay Packers upgraded their defense in a big way via a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Cowboys that landed superstar defender Micah Parsons.
The Cowboys get defensive lineman Kenny Clark and two first-round picks in the deal. Meanwhile, Parsons got his record-setting extension, which totals $188 million over four years ($47 million annually).
Nick Shook of NFL.com is naming the winners and losers in the wake of the trade and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff was in the losers column, as were the rest of the NFC North quarterbacks.
Already in a loaded division, now Jared Goff, Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy must contend with Parsons twice a year. Yippee! The Lions are undergoing a transition on the interior of their offensive line. The Bears completely revamped their blocking crew but still have questions at left tackle. And the Vikings added a couple of veteran free-agent blockers to the mix who are coming off injuries. With those groups having to face a Hafley defense that just added Parsons, the anxiety rises to another level. Green Bay's D already made life hard on QBs. It'll be much more difficult with Parsons screaming off the edge in a cheese-colored helmet.
This is fair, as Parsons is almost certainly going to make life harder for Goff, J.J. McCarthy and Caleb Williams.
While the subtraction of Clark means the Packers' defense isn't as strong as it could have been had he not been part of the deal, there's no doubt that Green Bay's unit is better with Parsons, who has tallied 12 or more sacks in each of his four seasons.
What's more troublesome for Detroit is the fact that they have three new starters along the offensive line, with Graham Glasgow moving over to center and 2024 draft pick Christian Mahogany and rookie Tate Ratledge patrolling the guard spots.
The Lions won't have to wait long to experience the Micah Parsons era in Green Bay, as Detroit travels to Lambeau Field to take on the Packers in Week 1.
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