The Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 28 – a move that shook up the entire NFL landscape heading into the 2025 season.
Those reverberations are still loud heading into Week 4 and a renewal of this NFC blue-blood rivalry at AT&T Stadium on Sunday Night Football. Dallas (1-2) is hoping to even its record after a 31-14 loss at Chicago. The Packers (2-1) are coming off a stunning 13-10 loss at Cleveland.
This is about Parsons' return to Dallas. The Cowboys selected Parsons with the No. 12 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He had 52.5 sacks in four seasons. When asked about the opportunity to try and sack former teammate Dak Prescott, Parsons' even admitted, "It's going to be painful."
This is also about the future. This move will link the Packers and Cowboys for years to come. We will be talking about this trade for years to come.
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The Sporting News revisits the trade from all angles heading into Week 4:
Micah Parsons trade impact heading into Week 4
Where Parsons wins trade
Parsons is a fan favorite in Green Bay. He has 1.5 sacks with four hits and nine hurries through three games. He's totaled 128 snaps according to Pro Football Focus, and he continues to deal with a back injury. He has been mostly used as a pass-rush specialist. Only 27 of those snaps have been on run plays.
According to PFF's Tom Riske, Parsons is performing at a high level despite facing the second-most double teams and chips in the NFL behind Cleveland's Myles Garrett.
Myles Garrett is already back to doing what he does best: Breaking scales
— Timo Riske (@PFF_Moo) September 22, 2025
x-Axis: Double team/chip %
y-axis: Performance when not doubled pic.twitter.com/Eauj5LQePX
We have not seen Parsons at full go – but his snap count continues to increase heading into the matchup against the Cowboys.
MORE:
Where Parsons loses trade
Is it a big deal that the Cowboys have no plans to honor Parsons this week?
"No, there's a lot of things I can consider disrespectful throughout this process, but I wouldn't say the tribute is one of them," Parsons said via ESPN.com. "I would say, I just think there's hard feelings maybe there for them."
Parsons' legacy in Dallas will always be complicated – and he will not be as beloved as Reggie White was in Philadelphia before (and after) he left for Green Bay. Parsons also remains under pressure to deliver a Super Bowl berth for the Packers, and that is going to build with each season it does not happen. It's not just about individual performance moving forward.
How Micah Parsons trade impacts Green Bay Packers
Where Packers win trade
The Packers lead the NFL in scoring defense (14.7 ppg.) and rank third in total defense (232.3) – that's up from sixth in both categories last season under defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Parsons' presence can be felt on every snap. That's the difference. Rashan Gary – who led the Packers with seven sacks last season – has 4.5 sacks in three games. Lukas Van Ness has 11 quarterback pressures and one sack. Devonte Wyatt has two sacks on the interior, and Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker have combined for 57 tackles. Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams have one interception.
It's a connected front that has allowed 64.3 rushing yards per game. The Parsons effect is that he makes everybody around him – and those players mentioned are Pro Bowl caliber players. That is why Green Bay has an elite defense now, and it will stay that way as long as those key players are healthy.
MORE: How contract dispute with Jerry Jones led to Micah Parsons trade
Where Packers are losing trade
The offensive line was a mess against the Browns. Jordan Love struggled under pressure, and early injuries have been a problem. He is 10 of 27 for 103 yards when under pressure and took five sacks in the loss to the Browns.
Right tackle Zach Tom (oblique) is doubtful this week, and left tackle Rasheed Walker (quad) and left guard Aaron Banks (groin) are questionable. Elgton Jenkins moved to center this offseason – and that remains a process.
The defense is good enough to win a Super Bowl. Will the offensive line be good enough, given those injuries? The problem is that there will not be much room to make upgrades, and this could be a long-term concern.
The Packers signed Parsons to a four-year, $186 million contract that runs through 2029. Green Bay will enter 2026 ranked 22nd with $22.4 million in cap space and will not have a first-round pick in 2026 or 2027.
MORE: Why Micah Parsons chose jersey No. 1 for Green Bay
How Micah Parsons trade impacts Dallas Cowboys
Where Cowboys are winning trade
This isn't quite like the Herschel Walker trade in 1989, where the Cowboys traded the star running back to the Minnesota Vikings. That trade would end up involving 18 players and helped build the Dallas Cowboys' 1990s dynasty under owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas will have two first-round picks in 2026 and two first-round picks in 2027, and not signing Parsons to a monster contract helps a team that ranks 28th with $4.9 million in cap space heading into 2026. The Cowboys finished 7-10 last season and might be headed toward a full-fledged rebuild.
Kenny Clark – the defensive tackle acquired in the trade – has been solid. He has one sack and eight quarterback hurries through three games and has been effective on the interior for the Cowboys. He will also be focused on during Sunday's game.
MORE: What Cowboys received in Micah Parsons trade
Where Cowboys are losing trade
The defense is a mess without Parsons. The Cowboys have allowed 30.7 points per game through three weeks. Dallas ranks last in the NFL in pass defense at 288 yards per game – and they were dangerously close to being 0-3 after Russell Wilson passed for 450 yards and three TDs in Week 2. Wilson was benched by the Giants after Week 3. QBs have a league-high 125.3 passer rating against Dallas.
Dallas has just three sacks in three games, and new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is already on the hot seat heading into a matchup against the Packers. The Cowboys also allow 109.7 rushing yards per game and have forced just one turnover.
Verdict: Who wins Micah Parsons trade long term?
Remember what happened to the Vikings after the Herschel Walker trade? Minnesota finished 10-6 that season, and Walker rushed for 669 yards and five TDs. The Vikings failed to make the playoffs the next two seasons, and Walker ended up with Philadelphia in 1992 and later returned to Dallas in 1996-97. Dallas won that trade by a lot – and it is a huge piece of Jones' legacy.
We're still a long way from final grades on the Parsons trade. In the short team, Green Bay is winning, of course. The Packers have an elite defense, and Parsons should put on a show on Sunday Night Football. He has 42 tackles and five sacks in 10 career games on SNF. Green Bay has its best shot at a Super Bowl since Aaron Rodgers left – but they will need to take advantage of it.
A Dallas victory on Sunday might weigh more than any of the other ones this season, especially for Jones. The Cowboys have lost 10 of the last 11 meetings against the Packers, including playoffs. Green Bay is 5-0 at AT&T Stadium with two postseason victories.