Trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers has not aged well for the Dallas Cowboys. The team has received immense backlash over the decision, but it turns out that his on-field production was never the issue. Something else entirely drove the move.

During NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk, NFL analyst Devin McCourty revealed the real reason behind Parsons being shipped off.

“I think ultimately the Cowboys felt like what they got on the field with Micah Parsons was great, but they felt like they could never reach the potential as a team because they didn't feel like he was the locker room leader or whatever they needed,” McCourty told Mike Florio.

Last year, when the contract debacle between Parsons and the Cowboys began, reports indicated that Parsons' behavior toward the organization had started turning negative.

"[Micah Parsons] continued to participate in walk-throughs and meetings but also exhibited strange behavior including not wearing a practice jersey, or on another day wearing it around his neck, and coming to practice without shoes," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Don Van Natta Jr. reported in September 2025.

The two also reported that Parsons "ate nachos as he walked to the locker room" before the team's preseason finale against the Falcons.

"Parsons' behavior during camp rubbed many in the building, including in the locker room, the wrong way, with one team source saying his energy was 'deflating,'" Fowler and Van Natta further added.

However, the Parsons trade has now arguably paid off for the Boys at this year's draft, suggesting Dallas may have played the long game all along.

"One Player Is Not Worth…" Stephen Jones on Their Strategy to Trade Micah Parsons

Dallas acquired Kenny Clark along with 2026 and 2027 first-round picks in exchange for Micah Parsons. They converted that capital into five defensive players, and Executive Vice President Stephen Jones believes it was absolutely worth it.

"I just feel very optimistic that we have the right pieces in place," Jones told Adam Schein during a May 5 appearance on Mad Dog Sports Radio. "Ultimately, the decision we made was that one player is not worth four or five good ones, and we feel like that's where we're going to end up here in a good spot."

The Cowboys now have Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams, Malachi Lawrence, Devin Moore, and LT Overton on their roster. Jones referred to both Williams and Clark as "alpha players," signaling his confidence in the defensive core Dallas has assembled.

Dallas did achieve a significant haul through the Parsons trade, but whether that haul can deliver at the level Parsons would have is the real question. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Shubhi Rathore

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore