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Micah Parsons trade details: Packers acquire Cowboys star in blockbuster deal
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- Micah Parsons trade details: Packers acquire Cowboys star in blockbuster deal
The Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers struck a monumental deal on eve of the 2025 NFL season.
Star pass rusher Micah Parsons will be heading from the Cowboys to the Packers, a source confirmed to USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon .
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Parsons, 26, was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He quickly developed into one of the league's best pass rushers, earning All-Pro first team nods in each of his first two seasons and Pro Bowl nods in all four of his years in Dallas.
Parsons racked up 52.5 sacks across 63 games with the Cowboys, but the two parties could not come to terms on a lucrative extension to keep him in Dallas. As a result, Jerry Jones and Co. shipped Parsons to Green Bay , which made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a four-year, $188 million deal.
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (2025) — Parsons, a perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher, requested a trade on Aug. 1 amid stagnant contract negotiations with the Cowboys. On Aug. 28, Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers.
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (2024) — Lamb didn't attend any offseason activities with the team after leading the league with 135 catches and setting career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. The holdout ended when he signed his four-year, $136 million deal in late August 2024.
Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs (2023) — Jones began his holdout at the end of July 2023, when the defensive tackle did not report to Chiefs training camp, and continued until after Week 1 of the 2023 regular season. Jones signed a one-year deal and returned to the team in time for Week 2. Jones went on to have a career year for Kansas City, recording 10.5 sacks and making his second straight All-Pro first team. After the season, he signed a five-year extension worth $158.75 million.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports)
Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys (2023) — After an excellent nine seasons with Dallas to start his career – nine years that included six first-team All-Pro selections – Martin held out of training camp while trying to receive a new deal. Martin received his deal – a two-year, $36.85 million contract – and played it out before retiring after the 2024 season.
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (2019) — After three excellent seasons with the Cowboys to begin his career, Elliott held out almost all of training camp for a new contract before his fourth season began. The result was a six-year, $90 million extension, which preceded four consecutive years of declining production before Dallas released him in 2023.
Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers (2019) — Gordon had been averaging over 900 yards per season in his first four years with the Chargers heading into his fifth-year option season with Los Angeles, and he wanted to cash in on an extension. He went on to hold out of training camp, the preseason and the first three games of the regular season before reporting to the team with no new deal. Gordon started 11 games and rushed for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in his last year with the team that drafted him.
(Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports)
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers (2018) — In January 2018, Bell warned the Steelers that he'd consider sitting out the season if the team were to place the franchise tag on him for a second straight year. That March, the Steelers used the franchise tag on Bell, who refused to sign the tag and went on to sit out the entirety of the 2018 season. He signed with the Jets in free agency the following offseason.
(Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks (2018) — Thomas sat out all of training camp and preseason activities as he held out for a contract, but never ended up reaching an agreement before he returned to the team just in time for Week 1. Four weeks later, Thomas was flipping the bird to the Seahawks' sideline as he was carted off the field with a broken leg. It was his last game in Seattle.
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
Darrelle Revis, New York Jets (2010) — Adding to the drama of the Jets' appearance on "Hard Knocks," Revis sat out all of training camp and preseason action waiting for a new contract. He finally got a four-year deal with the Jets a week before the team's regular-season opener.
(Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)
JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders (2007) — Russell's holdout lasted all of his first training camp and extended through the first week of the 2007 regular season before the Raiders signed their No. 1 overall pick to a six-year deal. Perhaps in hindsight, the Raiders wish they had let that holdout continue indefinitely.
(Kirby Lee, US PRESSWIRE)
Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys (1993) — Smith led the NFL in rushing yards (1,713) and touchdowns (18) in 1992, then sat out of training camp and the Cowboys' first two games in 1993. Dallas went 0-2 without Smith, then paid him with a four-year, $13.6 million deal.
(TIM ROBERTS, AFP via Getty Images)
Kelly Stouffer, Arizona Cardinals (1987) — Stouffer – the sixth overall pick by the then-St. Louis Cardinals in 1987 – sat out all of his rookie season due to contract issues. The Cardinals moved to Arizona the following year and traded Stouffer to Seattle for two fifth-round picks and a first-rounder. Stouffer played in 22 games for the Seahawks and went 5-11 in his 16 starts for the team.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)
Bo Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1986) — The Buccaneers hosted Jackson on a visit to team facilities while he was still in college, but their use of a private plane to get him there rendered him ineligible to play his final season of college baseball. Jackson was so furious with Tampa Bay that he refused to play for them despite being the No. 1 overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft. A year later, the Raiders drafted Jackson in the seventh round and allowed him to continue his baseball career with the Kansas City Royals.
(US PRESSWIRE)
Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams (1985) — Dickerson set the all-time, single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in 1984 and wanted to cash in on his success with a new contract. When the Rams refused, Dickerson sat out the first two games of the 1985 season before eventually returning to action. The running back's contract issues with the Rams were never fully resolved, and he was subsequently traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 1987.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)
Duane Thomas, Dallas Cowboys (1971) — Thomas demanded a reworked contract ahead of his second NFL season, but the Cowboys declined. Thomas ripped into the team before refusing to report to training camp. Dallas then traded the running back to the New England Patriots, but the Patriots petitioned then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle to void the trade within days. Thomas was back with the Cowboys, who went on to win the Super Bowl. Dallas traded him to the Chargers the following offseason.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)
1
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (2025) — Parsons, a perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher, requested a trade on Aug. 1 amid stagnant contract negotiations with the Cowboys. On Aug. 28, Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers.
1
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (2025) — Parsons, a perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher, requested a trade on Aug. 1 amid stagnant contract negotiations with the Cowboys. On Aug. 28, Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers.
2
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (2024) — Lamb didn't attend any offseason activities with the team after leading the league with 135 catches and setting career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. The holdout ended when he signed his four-year, $136 million deal in late August 2024.
3
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs (2023) — Jones began his holdout at the end of July 2023, when the defensive tackle did not report to Chiefs training camp, and continued until after Week 1 of the 2023 regular season. Jones signed a one-year deal and returned to the team in time for Week 2. Jones went on to have a career year for Kansas City, recording 10.5 sacks and making his second straight All-Pro first team. After the season, he signed a five-year extension worth $158.75 million.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports)
4
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys (2023) — After an excellent nine seasons with Dallas to start his career – nine years that included six first-team All-Pro selections – Martin held out of training camp while trying to receive a new deal. Martin received his deal – a two-year, $36.85 million contract – and played it out before retiring after the 2024 season.
5
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (2019) — After three excellent seasons with the Cowboys to begin his career, Elliott held out almost all of training camp for a new contract before his fourth season began. The result was a six-year, $90 million extension, which preceded four consecutive years of declining production before Dallas released him in 2023.
6
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers (2019) — Gordon had been averaging over 900 yards per season in his first four years with the Chargers heading into his fifth-year option season with Los Angeles, and he wanted to cash in on an extension. He went on to hold out of training camp, the preseason and the first three games of the regular season before reporting to the team with no new deal. Gordon started 11 games and rushed for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in his last year with the team that drafted him.
(Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports)
7
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers (2018) — In January 2018, Bell warned the Steelers that he'd consider sitting out the season if the team were to place the franchise tag on him for a second straight year. That March, the Steelers used the franchise tag on Bell, who refused to sign the tag and went on to sit out the entirety of the 2018 season. He signed with the Jets in free agency the following offseason.
(Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
8
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks (2018) — Thomas sat out all of training camp and preseason activities as he held out for a contract, but never ended up reaching an agreement before he returned to the team just in time for Week 1. Four weeks later, Thomas was flipping the bird to the Seahawks' sideline as he was carted off the field with a broken leg. It was his last game in Seattle.
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
9
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Darrelle Revis, New York Jets (2010) — Adding to the drama of the Jets' appearance on "Hard Knocks," Revis sat out all of training camp and preseason action waiting for a new contract. He finally got a four-year deal with the Jets a week before the team's regular-season opener.
(Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)
10
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders (2007) — Russell's holdout lasted all of his first training camp and extended through the first week of the 2007 regular season before the Raiders signed their No. 1 overall pick to a six-year deal. Perhaps in hindsight, the Raiders wish they had let that holdout continue indefinitely.
(Kirby Lee, US PRESSWIRE)
11
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys (1993) — Smith led the NFL in rushing yards (1,713) and touchdowns (18) in 1992, then sat out of training camp and the Cowboys' first two games in 1993. Dallas went 0-2 without Smith, then paid him with a four-year, $13.6 million deal.
(TIM ROBERTS, AFP via Getty Images)
12
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Kelly Stouffer, Arizona Cardinals (1987) — Stouffer – the sixth overall pick by the then-St. Louis Cardinals in 1987 – sat out all of his rookie season due to contract issues. The Cardinals moved to Arizona the following year and traded Stouffer to Seattle for two fifth-round picks and a first-rounder. Stouffer played in 22 games for the Seahawks and went 5-11 in his 16 starts for the team.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)
13
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Bo Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1986) — The Buccaneers hosted Jackson on a visit to team facilities while he was still in college, but their use of a private plane to get him there rendered him ineligible to play his final season of college baseball. Jackson was so furious with Tampa Bay that he refused to play for them despite being the No. 1 overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft. A year later, the Raiders drafted Jackson in the seventh round and allowed him to continue his baseball career with the Kansas City Royals.
(US PRESSWIRE)
14
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams (1985) — Dickerson set the all-time, single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in 1984 and wanted to cash in on his success with a new contract. When the Rams refused, Dickerson sat out the first two games of the 1985 season before eventually returning to action. The running back's contract issues with the Rams were never fully resolved, and he was subsequently traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 1987.
(Manny Rubio, US PRESSWIRE)
15
/15
Micah Parsons, Cowboys dispute among most notable contract holdouts in NFL history
Duane Thomas, Dallas Cowboys (1971) — Thomas demanded a reworked contract ahead of his second NFL season, but the Cowboys declined. Thomas ripped into the team before refusing to report to training camp. Dallas then traded the running back to the New England Patriots, but the Patriots petitioned then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle to void the trade within days. Thomas was back with the Cowboys, who went on to win the Super Bowl. Dallas traded him to the Chargers the following offseason.
(Tony Tomsic, USA TODAY Sports)
Here's what to know about the Micah Parsons trade:
Micah Parsons trade details
Below are the reported terms of the Micah Parsons trade:
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Packers get:
-
EDGE Micah Parsons
Cowboys get
-
DL Kenny Clark
-
Two first-round picks
What did the Cowboys get for Micah Parsons?
The Cowboys received veteran defensive lineman Kenny Clark and two future first-round picks in exchange for Parsons.
Clark, 29, spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Packers after being selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. The UCLA product has 35 sacks across 140 career games and was named a Pro Bowler three times with the Packers in 2019, 2021 and 2023.
It is not yet clear which first-round draft picks the Packers are sending to the Cowboys as part of the deal.
(This story will be updated as more information becomes available.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Micah Parsons trade details: Packers acquire Cowboys star in stunner
