When the Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, owner Jerry Jones claimed that the team would be better off in the long run without their former All-Pro.
While former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark has been a nice addition to the defense, his strength is in stopping the run, not rushing the passer.
Since the trade, the Cowboys are 1-1 following a win over the New York Giants, but it's obvious that something is missing without their former Nittany Lion.
Cowboys Insider Reveals Defensive Weakness After Losing Micah Parsons
When previewing Dallas' next matchup against the Chicago Bears, Cowboys insider Bryan Broaddus said the team may have overestimated their edge depth when considering a Parsons trade.
"I just wonder if the Cowboys overevaluated the edges. I misevaluated these edges at least in the first two weeks of the season...It just scares me a little bit that maybe Dallas doesn't have as good a pass rush as I wanted to believe," said Broaddus.
The Cowboys' pass rush was never going to be the same without their former Penn State standout, but it is possible that Jones and company thought their younger guys would've stepped up more in larger roles.
James Houston and Marshawn Kneeland have registered a sack each through two games, but other than that, Cowboys pass rushers have been relatively quiet.
2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku has yet to make a large impact, and veteran Sam Williams has been quiet as well.
When Parsons was on the field for Dallas, he attracted a lot of attention from opposing offenses, and that would almost certainly free up rushing lanes for players chasing down the quarterback.
On the bright side, the Cowboys recognized their weakness and signed veteran defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to a one-year deal. While he certainly won't fill the void left behind by Parsons, it is a step in the right direction.